Leadership
The Dean’s Office
The Graduate School deans, in consultation with the General Committee of the Graduate School, establish policies for the graduate fields and administer resources in support of graduate education. The deans develop initiatives, advocate for students, increase the visibility of graduate education, and uphold the university’s mission as it relates to graduate education.
Leadership
Thomas A. Lewis
Dean and Vice Provost for Graduate Education
Thomas A. Lewis is a distinguished scholar and academic leader, serving as dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education. In this role, he advocates for graduate students across the institution, supports the research-based master’s and Ph.D. programs, and oversees all administrative offices of the Graduate School. He is committed to advancing excellence in graduate education at Cornell in close collaboration with faculty and students and enhancing access for students from diverse backgrounds.
Before joining Cornell, Lewis led graduate education at Brown University, where he served as dean of the Graduate School from 2023 to 2025, following a year as interim dean. His tenure at Brown was marked by a commitment to academic rigor and interdisciplinary collaboration.
An expert in the study of religion, Lewis’s scholarship examines transforming conceptions of religion, society, and the individual in Western modernity, with a focus on German intellectual traditions. His contributions to the field include “Freedom and Tradition in Hegel: Reconsidering Anthropology, Ethics, and Religion” (University of Notre Dame Press, 2005); “Religion, Modernity, and Politics in Hegel” (Oxford University Press, 2011); and “Why Philosophy Matters for the Study of Religion–and Vice Versa” (Oxford University Press, 2015), along with numerous articles and book chapters that have shaped contemporary scholarly discourse.
At Cornell, Lewis is a professor of religious studies and German studies. His academic journey began at Brown University, where he earned his A.B. in religious studies, before advancing to Stanford University for his Ph.D. Before joining the faculty at Brown, he held faculty positions at the University of Iowa and Harvard University. He has also held fellowships at the University Center for Human Values and the Center for the Study of Religion, both at Princeton University.
Beyond his university leadership, Lewis has been an influential voice in the American Academy of Religion and has lent his expertise as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation.
Associate and Assistant Deans
Merry Riley Buckley
Assistant Dean for Communications
- Comprehensive internal and external communications strategies to keep students, faculty, staff, and alumni informed and engaged
- Development and delivery of all Graduate School digital and print communications
- Coordination with Cornell’s colleges and schools to foster local and national attention for Cornell’s graduate education, programs, and students
Anitra Douglas-McCarthy
Assistant Dean for Access and Recruitment
- Intentionally inclusive recruitment initiatives and programming
- Graduate field recruitment customization and support
- Student pipeline cultivation
- Institutional partnerships
- Graduate Student Ambassadors
Sara Xayarath Hernández (bio)
Associate Dean for Inclusion and Student & Faculty Engagement
- Systemic change initiatives focused on mission-driven and holistic graduate admissions
- Programs fostering sense of belonging, peer mentoring, academic success, and student and faculty engagement
- Research-informed training and resources to support inclusive mentorship in graduate education
- Graduate School Dean’s Scholars, Bouchet Honor Society, and Fellowship Programs
Jason Kahabka
Associate Dean for Administration
- Responsible for fellowship, assistantship, and funding policy
- Admissions
- Registration
- Student status
Janna Lamey
Associate Dean for Graduate Student Life
- Students in distress (also student concerns, mental and physical health)
- Health, wellness, and resilience programming
- Information on resources/referrals on campus and in community
Josephine Martell (bio)
Associate Dean for Academics
- Oversight and interpretation of academic policies
- Faculty and student academic issues and progress
- Graduate program registration process (for proposals that require General Committee review)
- Programs and resources to support graduate student fellowships and grants and faculty grants to support graduate students
- Academic integrity issues
- Grievance process
Colleen McLinn (bio)
Associate Dean for Professional Development
- Skill development and career exploration for non-academic and academic careers
- Preparation for faculty career pathways, experiential opportunities, postdoctoral studies pursuits
- Symposia, workshops and advising relating to career success
Robert S. Weiss (bio)
Senior Associate Dean
- Organizational structure and administration of life sciences graduate fields
- Policies, administrative support, and programming related to external training grants in the life sciences