Dr. Bryana French will step into the role of chair of the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of St. Thomas in July, at the start of the 2025-26 fiscal year. A faculty member for the past 11 years, French has long embraced leadership within the department, most recently serving as associate chair, where she worked closely with outgoing chair Dr. Christopher Vye, who spoke warmly of passing down the torch to her.
“She’s a very charismatic person; clearly, very smart, and relational,” Vye said. “People are really drawn to her, and she has excellent experience building community. I think the faculty has a great deal of confidence in her, as well.”
Having held leadership positions in faculty development at St. Thomas, as well as the American Psychological Association, French brings a wealth of experience to the role. She also will receive the rank of full professor starting with the 2025-26 fiscal year.
“She will be a great leader,” Vye said.
French has a strong vision for the Graduate School of Professional Psychology. “I initially stepped into the role with this intention of trying to diversify our student body or get more funding for students,” she said. “I’m trying to lean into this idea that I have something to offer, and what my hopes are for the department”
A key priority for her is creating a welcome and inclusive space on campus. In particular, she is interested in creating listening sessions for students and staff, as well as proper outlets for rest and decompression.
“We’re building a community,” she said. “I’m looking forward to this new curriculum and seeing how that feels for us as a faculty and for the students.”
Her journey to leadership reflects a longstanding passion for helping others, which ties to her childhood. “I was initially inspired to go into nursing due to my own childhood health issues; I wanted to give back in that way and be a nurse like the nurses that helped me” she said.
As a leader, French strives to embody a holistic and reflective approach. “As a woman of color, I have some of the strengths that those identities bring,” she said, “but I also navigate challenges. The older I get, and the more I do this, the more confident I feel.”
French remains focused on her vision for the department. “Chris has big shoes to fill, so I’ll try to do that justice,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how I lead.”
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