The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine has Dr. Dana Zimmel officially appointed as the new dean of the faculty.
Zimmel has held the position on an interim basis since December 2019, when the former dean Dr. James W. Lloyd retired after six years in the position.
A statement released Tuesday morning by the University of Florida stated that Zimmel’s work, keeping faculties, students and staff safe during the pandemic, and the status of the nine-rate veterinary college during her 18 months of tenure in that role were among the factors have contributed to decision.
“For the past year and a half, Dana has worked tirelessly with her leadership team to ensure the safety of the college’s faculty, staff, and students, and the successful continuation of its research, teaching, and patient care missions. Their commitment and focus were evident during this difficult time, ”the announcement reads.
Before becoming dean, Zimmel was the head of administration at the UF veterinary clinics and has been deputy dean for the clinical service since 2015. In addition, she worked for five years as chief of staff and chief physician for the hospital operations, before taking on her role as deputy dean and chief administrator.
During her time as head of the veterinary clinic, the number of cases at the hospital more than doubled from 20,542 patients in 2011 to 41,811 patients in 2019.
Zimmel also completed part of her own training in Gainesville. She graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine with a BS in Animal Science in 1990 and a PhD in Veterinary Medicine in 1995.
With the appointment, Zimmel became the seventh permanent dean in the 45th anniversary of the university.