Carol Griggs was recently named the UW–Madison School of Education’s chief of staff and associate dean for strategy and innovation in the Dean’s Office, a position she will start on Monday, Jan. 27.
“This is a new and needed leadership position that will be essential in supporting the many important activities led by our School and leadership team,” says School of Education Dean Marcelle Haddix. “Carol has held multiple leadership roles over the past 20-plus years and brings a wealth of proven experience managing projects and developing initiatives. I’m very excited that she has accepted this position.”
Griggs has served since September 2023 as the Deputy Chief of Staff in UW–Madison’s Office of the Chancellor, where she has supported internal operations, as well as initiatives to advance the priorities of the university. Prior to her time in the Chancellor’s Office, Griggs was the Associate Executive Director and Director of Operations of University Health Services, where she played an essential role in pandemic response efforts and campus readiness.
In her new position with the School of Education, Griggs will report directly to the dean and provide strategic support and leadership to the School. This work includes advising the dean on issues related to university policies, state statutes, and emerging issues in higher education, and identifying innovative opportunities to benefit the mission, vision, and goals of the School. Griggs will also: coordinate the development and implementation of strategic priorities; serve as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders; and oversee special projects.
“I am thrilled to join the nation’s No. 1-ranked School of Education and support its many efforts across the arts, health and education,” says Griggs. “The School’s impact goes far beyond the classroom and into the community, state, nation, and world. There is no better way to have an impact on the future than to be a part of a School that is making a difference every single day.”
Much of Griggs’ career over the past two-plus decades has been spent in higher education. She has also served on national associations as an administrator, practical researcher, and board member.
Griggs is a social and behavioral health scientist who holds a PhD in educational studies in diverse populations from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Griggs also holds a BS in pre-medicine and religious studies from Crichton College in Memphis, Tennessee, and a master of divinity degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where she focused on biblical studies, spirituality, and near eastern languages. She also holds a graduate certificate in health education.
Griggs has conducted research with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College Health Association (ACHA). Her independent research focuses on well-being in higher education, with a goal of improving the assessment of individual well-being to enhance the life and campus experience of students, staff, and faculty. She has taught graduate and undergraduate classes in statistics, public and community health, and human behavior theory.
Prior to working in higher education, Griggs’ work focused on homeschooling models and designing and developing K-12 curriculum to enhance the academic experience of homeschoolers. This work enabled parents and instructors to manage the education of children using strategies stemming from human development research.
Griggs also served in the U.S. Army during the Iraq War, participating in deployment tours to Iraq and Kuwait. As a nutritionist, medical response team member, and hospital administrator, she worked on the leadership team in a field combat support hospital, leading and managing a hospital and surgical unit. Griggs was awarded the Meritorious Services Medal, along with several other recognitions for her leadership during the war.