The University of Houston-Downtown announces recent additions to its leadership team: Lisa Joyner as Vice President of Student Success and Student Life (3SL); Debra McGaughey as Assistant Vice President, University Relations; and Dr. Divya Bhati as Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Planning, and Assessment.
As Vice President of 3SL, Lisa Joyner leads UHD’s continued development of strategies to enhance access, optimize learning, improve student life, and increase retention and graduation rates. She works collaboratively across campus to implement innovative and holistic approaches to student success that cultivate dynamic academic environments and nurture students to their full potential. Joyner came to UHD from Arizona State University where she was Dean of Students.
She has more than 16 years of experience in health and well-being, student engagement, and student conduct across public and private universities. Throughout her career, Ms. Joyner has focused on the holistic well-being of underrepresented populations with an emphasis on affinity building, engagement and access. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Community Health and a Bachelor of Science in Health Education. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Southern California.
Debra McGaughey joined UHD as Assistant Vice President, University Relations, after an 18-plus year career at Houston Community College (HCC). McGaughey is providing strategic direction for UHD’s marketing, communications and brand and website management as the University approaches its 50th anniversary in 2024.
During her tenure at HCC, McGaughey provided strong leadership in communications and marketing for program and building launches, developed an award-winning Stories of Success Annual Report, and created strategies to improve student enrollment, event participation and retention, and many other activities. McGaughey’s work also included a long collaboration with the HCC Foundation on its annual Black History scholarship gala, as well as the supervision of college level community outreach staff and serving as the general manager of HCC’s cable television station, which produced more than 20 original 30-minute shows during her tenure.
McGaughey also brings more than 15 years of experience in broadcast and print journalism to UHD, as she worked in Dallas and Houston as both a newspaper and on-air television reporter for the Dallas Morning News and KHOU-TV/Ch. 11. McGaughey remains active in the community. She has served as president of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) and has held leadership roles with the Houston Association of Black Journalists (HABJ), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), the Midtown Management District, and other organizations. McGaughey earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Boston University and a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University.
Dr. Divya Bhati joined UHD as Associate Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Planning, and Assessment, following directing College of Charleston’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness. She provided leadership and guidance to the College’s Board of Trustees, executive team, faculty, and staff in support of accreditation, assessment, and strategic planning. She served as the institutional liaison for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and as Associate Professor, Higher Education Administration. Bhati holds a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Human Performance Technology from the University of Central Florida and has extensive experience in accreditation, assessment, strategic planning, and funded research programs.
In her role at UHD, she leads the development of a strategic vision and plan for academic innovation to enhance UHD’s identity and commitments and align with institutional priorities. Bhati is responsible for administering and overseeing efforts related to SACSCOC and program accreditation, strategic planning, assessment, partnerships, student retention, and student completion efforts, as well as new academic affairs data-driven planning and assessment initiatives. For more on UHD, visit uhd.edu.
