Mary Pat Wohlford-Wessels, Ph.D.

Dr. Wohlford-Wessels is the Executive Vice President for Research and Institutional Effectiveness at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB). At KCUMB she is responsible for supporting the vision and plan for the University’s research enterprise and implementing action plans, policies and initiatives to achieve expectations.

Prior to her appointment at KCUMB and her arrival in Kansas City, she served in numerous academic leadership positions at Des Moines University; as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Graduate College of Health Sciences and the Associate Dean for Academic Quality in the College of Medicine. At Des Moines University she also served as an Associate Professor of Health Policy and as a Professor of Family Medicine.

Dr. Wohlford-Wessels received a bachelors degree in information technology from Stephens College, Columbia Missouri, a masters degree in health education from the University of Iowa, a masters degree in health care administration from Des Moines University and a doctoral degree in research and evaluation from Iowa State University.

Dr. Wohlford-Wessels serves as a consultant evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Council on Education for Public Health and the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation She has served as an examiner for the National Malcolm Baldrige Quality program and the Missouri Quality Award program.

Dr. Wohlford-Wessels has served as a grant reviewer and grants committee chair for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. She has written many proposals and has received numerous competitive extramural grants. She has written numerous publications and has given over 60 regional and national invited presentations related to health policy, public health educational leadership and strategic planning.