Four SOPH faculty members receive promotions
The VCU School of Public Health is pleased to announce the promotion and/or tenure of four faculty members. New appointments will take effect on July 1, 2025.
As we strive for excellence as a School, we aim to hire, promote and retain outstanding faculty. On a regular basis, we evaluate individuals according to our mission and the needs of the School to recognize and reward those who are leading in research, teaching and service. All promotions and tenure are based on merit and comparable achievement in the faculty member’s particular field. Applications for promotion and tenure are reviewed by peers in the department and School and then approved by the VCU Board of Visitors.
“I want to congratulate our outstanding colleagues on their promotion and tenure,” said Vanessa B. Sheppard, Ph.D., founding interim dean of the VCU School of Public Health. “As committed scholars and educators, they will continue to play a vital role in advancing public health research and shaping the future workforce in Virginia and beyond.”
Bassam Dahman, Ph.D., was promoted to professor of health policy. Dahman joined the Department of Health Policy in 2009 as an instructor. He became an assistant professor in 2010 and then was promoted to associate professor in 2016. Dahman’s research lies at the intersection of disease prevention and control, health disparities, econometrics and biostatistics. He is an active member of the Biostatistics Shared Resource and serves on the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee at Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dahman leads a research lab that integrates electronic health records (EHRs) and administrative claims data to evaluate healthcare access, quality, and outcomes in high-risk and underserved populations, with an emphasis on VA populations.
Anika L. Hines, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., FAHA, was promoted to associate professor with tenure. Hines joined the Department of Health Policy in 2018 as an assistant professor. In that time, Hines has focused her research on chronic stress, environment, health disparities and community-based participatory methods. In 2023, she joined VCU’s first class of the National/International Research Award (NIRA), earned VCU’s Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award, and received the MCV Foundation’s endowed Blick Scholar Award. In 2025, she was elected a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA). She also serves as the incoming Board President for the American Heart Association of Central Virginia.
Sunny Jung Kim, Ph.D., M.S., M.A., was promoted to associate professor with tenure. Kim joined the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2018 as an assistant professor. She is also a member of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Kim’s scholarship focuses on translating communication, behavioral, and social sciences, while leveraging technology-based approaches to develop and disseminate health campaigns and interventions. Her work also includes conducting mixed-methods research in digital media environments to promote the health of cancer survivors, individuals with substance use problems or disorders, and other hard-to-reach and at-risk populations.
Emily Zimmerman, Ph.D., M.S., M.P.H., was promoted to professor of epidemiology. Zimmerman joined the then-Division of Epidemiology in 2012 as an associate professor. Zimmerman’s expertise includes community-engaged research and social determinants of health, among other areas of public health.
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