Michael Yudell has been appointed dean of Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions.
Yudell joined ASU in 2021 as the college’s first vice dean and a professor. He stepped into the interim dean role in July 2024.
“Michael brings both depth of knowledge and a future-focused vision to this role. His interdisciplinary expertise makes him especially well-suited to lead in a time when technology and other forces are rapidly transforming health care,” said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost.
“Understanding how those shifts affect people and communities — not just systems — requires the perspective of a historian, ethicist and public health expert: someone who sees broad context, asks the right questions and keeps human experience at the center. Michael is this kind of leader.”
During his time as interim dean, Yudell led the college through a period of growth — driven by rising enrollment and retention, expanded research and stronger collaboration across ASU Health and the university.
“When I announced his appointment as interim dean last summer, I knew Michael would lead with clarity and purpose during a time of critical transition. I’m grateful for his steady leadership and partnership over the past year,” Gonzales said. “He has continued to champion the success of our faculty, staff and students, while positioning (the College of Health Solutions) as a vital contributor to the broader ASU Health vision.”
Yudell expressed his gratitude and excitement for the future.
“I am deeply honored to be named dean of the College of Health Solutions,” Yudell said. “Over the past three years in my roles at (the college), I have been inspired by the dedication, innovation and expertise of our students, staff and faculty. I’m excited to advance our mission of optimizing health across the lifespan, improving health outcomes for all and training the next generation of our health workforce.”
Yudell has built a career at the intersection of science, ethics and policy. His research has addressed critical issues such as autism across the lifespan, Human Genome Project policy, health disparities and the use — and misuse — of race and other population identifiers in health research.
In 2016, Yudell received the Arthur J. Viseltear Award from the American Public Health Association for his influential book “Race Unmasked: Race and Biology in the 20th Century” and his contributions to the field. Since then, he has explored the ethical dimensions of autism research, the challenges of using social media data in public health research and strategies to build trust between the public and the health care system.
Yudell holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and Soviet studies from Tufts University, a Master of Philosophy in U.S. history from the City University of New York, and both a Master of Public Health and PhD in sociomedical science from Columbia University.
“I am especially grateful to Provost Nancy Gonzales and President Michael Crow for their support and for the opportunity to lead at this extraordinary institution, one that, as our ASU Charter says, assumes fundamental responsibility for the overall health of the communities we serve,” Yudell said.
Looking ahead, Yudell will continue working within the ASU Health ecosystem with Dr. Sherine Gabriel, executive vice president of ASU Health, and alongside the leaders of the School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering, the School of Technology for Public Health and the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation — to prepare health professionals who improve lives across Arizona and beyond.
