The College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies and the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development (ORIED) are pleased to announce that Dr. Katie Cahill has been named Director of Workforce Development as an extension of her work as the CECS Assistant Dean of Partnerships and Economic Development. In this jointly appointed role, Cahill will help strengthen connections between the university, industry, and the evolving workforce needs across Tennessee, leveraging CECS and ORIED partnerships.
“Dr. Cahill has been instrumental in helping us build innovative programs with industry, such as RISE and PATH, that connect education with real-world impact,” said Vice Provost and Founding Dean Ozlem Kilic. “This new role expands that work by strengthening the bridge between our academic programs and industry partners. By aligning educational pathways with industry priorities, we can better prepare students for the rapidly evolving careers of the future while ensuring our partners have access to the talent they need to grow and innovate. We are especially excited about the opportunity to continue to work closely with ORIED to build coordinated, campus-wide approaches to workforce development on emerging technologies. Together, we look forward to creating new pathways that expand access to opportunity, deepen our partnerships across the state, and support economic growth while preparing the next generation of leaders and innovators for Tennessee and beyond.”
“We are excited that Dr. Cahill is now part of our team,” said Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Director of the Division of Partnerships and Economic Development (IPED) Marc Gibson. “Her jointly appointed role will reinforce the University’s commitment to industry collaboration and provide a direct pipeline to better align the workforce and talent across the state. Workforce development is one of the most important ways the University of Tennessee can support the growth of Tennessee’s economy and ensure our students are prepared for the industries shaping the future. Her leadership will also help advance greater coordination and standardization of workforce initiatives across campus, creating clearer pathways that connect education, research, and real-world opportunities. We are especially excited about IPED’s collaboration with CECS and look forward to working closely together to build new, campus-wide opportunities that expand access, strengthen our partnerships, prepare the next generation of talent, and make life and lives better for all Tennesseans.”
In this joint role, Cahill will help expand the university’s workforce initiatives on emerging technologies and strengthen partnerships that connect talent, innovation, and industry across Tennessee. We look forward to the continued impact of her leadership in this important work.