Chief Academic Officer
Professor of Medicine and Health Sciences
434.544.8515
CAO@lynchburg.edu
Biography: The Vice President of Academics and Strategic Operations (Chief Academic Officer) is a senior executive responsible for the overall academic integrity, strategic planning, and operational efficiency of the institution. This role involves advancing academic excellence for all academic programs, ensuring excellence in teaching and research, and driving strategic initiatives to enhance the institution’s mission and goals. As the chief academic officer, he oversees the University’s teaching activities and the academic administration of the schools, University Research Center, library, art museum, public service activities, numerous University centers, and the global education program.
An emergency medicine PA, medical examiner, teacher, healthcare leader, and academic executive, Jeremy M. Welsh stepped into a new role in June 2024 as Vice President for Academics and Strategic Operations and Chief Academic Officer (CAO). He had previously served the University as Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer.
Welsh started at the University of Lynchburg (Lynchburg College) in 2013 as the founding program director for PA Medicine. Since that time, he has founded the Doctor of Medical Science program — the terminal degree for PAs and the first civilian degree of its kind — and served as department chair, associate dean, senior associate dean, dean of the College of Medical Science, Chief Innovation Officer, associate vice president, and associate provost. He also founded the Center for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships and the Professional Development Institute. As part of a community partnership, Welsh served as the Chief Academic Officer at the Community Access network from 2021-2023.
Before joining the University of Lynchburg, he served as a faculty member at Clarkson University as the director of clinical education and at Le Moyne College as an emergency medicine lecturer and problem-based learning faculty member. Welsh served the community of South Onondaga, New York as a firefighter and EMT and worked in numerous settings of disaster medicine/management and humanitarian work. Welsh also has experience as a healthcare administrator and owner/operator of several small businesses.
Education
- PhD, Administrative Leadership — University of the Cumberlands
- Prosci Certified Change Management Practitioner
- 2021-22 Innovation Fellow – Academy of Innovation in Higher Education, Arizona State University
- Certified Executive Leader (CEL) — McAfee Institute
- Innovation Strategy — MIT Sloan Executive Education
- Crisis Leadership — Harvard Kennedy School
- Business and Higher Education Law — Cornell University
- DHSc, Organizational Behavior and Leadership – A.T. Still University
- Certified Higher Education Professional (CHEP) – National Association of State Administrators and Supervisors of Private Schools
- Executive Leadership — Cornell University
- Medical Professional Legal Consultant — A.T. Still University
- Disaster Medicine and Management — Philadelphia University
- JD, Healthcare Law — Novus University School of Law
- Health and Hospital Law — Seton Hall University School of Law
- MPAS, Emergency and Urgent Care Medicine – University of Nebraska Medical Center
- MPAM – Le Moyne College
- BS, Pre-med Biology – Utica University
Research Interests
- Strategic administration
- Design thinking
- Change management
- Higher education leadership
- Healthcare executive leadership
- Medical scope of practice
Areas of Expertise
- Emergency Medicine
- Urgent Care
- Disaster Medicine
- Medical Examiner
