The Department of Radiology began 2020 in a new leadership chapter. The appointments of Interim Chair Dr. Keith Smith (September 2019) and Executive Vice Chair Dr. Charles Burke (December 2019) brought two highly experienced individuals to the Chair’s office. To assist Drs. Smith and Burke with UNC Radiology’s focus on internal priority areas and new School of Medicine (SOM) initiatives, the Department was pleased to appoint Professor of Radiology Lynn Fordham, MD, to a newly created position — Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs — in February 2020. Dr. Fordham simultaneously accepted a clinical faculty-focused position as Director of Faculty Development. 
Lynn Fordham is a natural fit to join Drs. Burke and Smith in high-level Department oversight. An established Department leader, she is the Department’s long-time Division Chief of Pediatric Imaging (2000 – Present) and has more recently served in clinical faculty leadership as Vice Chair of Diagnostic Services (2018 – 2020).
As Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs, Dr. Fordham’s years of leading her own and collaborating with leadership of eight clinical divisions position her well to work with both clinical & basic science faculty leaders on faculty recruitment, retention, and development. Her years of working with Dr. Smith (Director of Clinical Faculty Development) and Dr. Weili Lin (Vice Chair of Basic Research) on areas of faculty interest bring collegial support for assessing needs in emerging and established faculty, as well as to retain top-tier faculty recruits.
As Director of Faculty Development, Dr. Fordham’s clinical leadership experience should also serve her in assisting Dr. Smith with guiding clinical faculty through the promotions process and pursuing training and development opportunities.
As Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs, Dr. Fordham becomes the Department’s Liaison to the SOM’s Office of Inclusive Excellence. The department liaisons works to foster diversity and inclusion throughout the UNC Schools of Medicine and Allied Health.
Dr. Fordham will lead the Department’s newly established Wellness Committee as University and School of Medicine emphasis on wellness grows. The cross section of Department members on this committee are tasked with identifying wellness opportunities and outlets around UNC’s campus and the local community.
Interim Chair Dr. Keith Smith: “I can think of no one better to fill our new [Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs] position than Lynn. She has had many years of leadership experience in our department and in the school of medicine and our national radiology societies. She is a tireless champion for our faculty with a special interest in advocating for women in medicine.
With Dr. Fordham in this new position, we can devote more focused and sustained effort to the enhancement of our existing faculty and the recruitment of additional excellent faculty.”