Academic Affairs Leadership Team

Dimitri Tamalis, PhD, serves as the Vice Provost of Academic Affairs of the University of the Incarnate Word. In this role, he oversees UIW’s Academic Affairs division and is responsible for overseeing the quality and education associated with undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Dr. Tamalis works closely with academic leadership, deans, and faculty at UIW directing academic operations that span the University’s 150 degrees and programs for its more than 10,000 students.

Dr. Tamalis joined UIW in October 2023 as vice provost and brings with him more than 20 years of higher education experience serving in many capacities including instruction, grants administration, inter-agency collaboration and development, student success program development, and faculty mentorship. A seasoned researcher and scholar, Dr. Tamalis’ scholarship focused on the characterization of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) in Texas oil fields and municipal infrastructure while creating opportunities for underrepresented student populations to enter the field of nuclear science. Additionally, he has extensive experience as an academic leader developing strategic plans, implementing new academic programs and curricular innovation, and leading accreditation processes.

Prior to joining UIW Dr. Tamalis was as associate dean and professor in the College of Health and Human Development at California State University, Northridge. In this capacity he worked to close achievement gaps and increase retention and graduation rates, while fostering a culture of diversity and belonging.

Dr. Tamalis earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from McPherson College, his PhD in Biochemistry from Kansas State University and completed postdoctoral work at The New York University Medical Center and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He also worked for the University of Texas at Austin as a guest researcher and lecturer. Prior to his work at California State University, Northridge, Dr. Tamalis worked at California State University, San Bernardino and prior to that at Florida Memorial University.

“Overall, student success is at the center of everything I do,” says Dr. Tamalis. “I have an ever-present focus on issues of access, diversity, equity and inclusion so that the campus is a place where everyone, students, faculty and staff belong and thrive.”

Kevin B. Vichcales, PhD, is Associate Provost for Undergraduate and Graduate Education at University of the Incarnate Word. He earned his BA in History from Albion College, and MA and PhD in Modern European History from Western Michigan University. In his role as Associate Provost for Undergraduate and Graduate Education he provides vision and leadership for undergraduate and graduate student learning and success including the formulation and implementation of all academic plans, policies, priorities, and innovations. He ensures these are aligned with the University’s strategic plan and mission to ensure that all programs identify and achieve the highest standards to prepare our trainees for leadership in their respective fields. He has contributed service to a number of national boards including the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE), Science Foundation of Arizona KickStarter 2.0 Advisory Council, and Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and provides consulting and evaluation services to other institutions across the nation. He is an active scholar with multiple publications to his credit, holds the academic rank of Professor History and is tenured with the university.

Monica Ayala Jimenez, EdD, serves as the Associate Provost of Student Success at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW). Prior to joining UIW, Dr. Jimenez served as the Dean of Student Success at Palo Alto College in San Antonio, serving as the leader for student support services. She is a knowledgeable higher education program administrator with more than 20 years of experience in the development and implementation of pre-college, early college and student success programs. She also served as Dean of High School Programs and oversaw the Dual Credit and Early College High School Programs as the liaison between the K-12 partnerships and the community college. As a TRIO McNair Scholar and TRIO Upward Bound alumna, Dr. Jimenez is committed to supporting first-generation and underserved students. She has over 15 years of experience in grant writing and management and helped bring over $4.5 million in TRIO Programs and the National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education to the community college. Her commitment to excellence earned her the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, Excellence Award in 2017. Committed to service to her community, she has served as Board Member for New Frontiers Public Schools in San Antonio, Texas since 2020.

Marisol Scheer serves as Registrar at the University of the Incarnate Word, bringing more than two decades of experience in higher education administration, student services, and enrollment management. She leads a dedicated team responsible for the oversight of course registration, academic records, graduation processing, and compliance with academic policies.

Recognized for her commitment to student success and operational innovation, Scheer has championed efforts to streamline services and implement technology solutions that enhance the student experience. In addition to her administrative role, she shares her expertise in leadership and organizational behavior as an adjunct faculty member, teaching management theory and practice.

A respected leader in the field, Scheer served as president of the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling from 2020 to 2021. In recognition of her and her sister’s longstanding service to the organization, she was honored with the Melendez Scheer Service Award—named in their honor.

Scheer resides in San Antonio with her husband, Chris, their two children, Angelica and Richard, and their four beloved dogs: Andy, George, Bailey, and Buddy. Outside of work, she enjoys crafting, watching sports, traveling, and attending New Kids on the Block concerts.

Kathleen A. Bottaro, Assistant Provost for the Office of Teaching, Learning & Technology at UIW since 2022, leads a team focused on faculty development, instructional support, research, assessment, and technology integration. With over two decades in educational leadership, her prior roles include Director of Technology and Instructional Technology in Iowa, where she managed large-scale tech deployments and developed faculty programs with significant budgets.

She has collaborated with curriculum directors to design digital learning environments, integrated digital literacy coaching for librarians, and launched initiatives like Common Ground to enhance student skills. Kathleen is dedicated to fostering academic communities, improving student success through data-driven strategies, and promoting teaching innovation. She has served on state committees and presented at conferences on digital learning and faculty empowerment. 

Kathleen is committed to building collaborative academic communities, enhancing student success through data-informed instructional strategies, and fostering innovation in teaching and learning. She has served on several state committees and consortia and presented at state and national conferences on digital learning, instructional support, and faculty empowerment.

Mark Nijland, PhD, oversees graduate studies, research and sponsored program initiatives at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW). He joined UIW from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where he earned tenure as an associate professor in 2010. He continued his senior leadership as assistant vice president for research. His career includes extensive development of faculty research opportunities, partnering in the leadership of research facilities and processes, as well as award-winning research in neuroscience and animal physiology.

Judith F. Kornberg, PhD, assumed the role of Interim Executive Director of Professional, Continuing and Online Programs on February 18, 2025. She oversees operations for the School of Professional Studies and is leading the development of a comprehensive, inspiring and actionable strategic vision for the unit, ensuring alignment with the University's strategic goals. She brings extensive experience in online and continuing education leadership, having held positions at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Fashion Institute of Technology, Purchase College SUNY and more. She also served as associate provost at Berkeley College in New York and New Jersey.

Tracey E. Mendoza began her service as dean of UIW Libraries in 2018 and has been an academic librarian practitioner and administrator for more than 33 years.

She started her career at the University of Houston as a liaison and co-curricular librarian to schools in the social and behavioral sciences and programs in the humanities. She earned her degree from the University of North Texas, where she was named the honored graduate in Library and Information Science.

Her research and career interests focus on embedding academic libraries in the fabric of strategic objectives related to teaching, learning and scholarship with scaffolded and responsive meta-literacies curriculum. She has served in several professional capacities, including as board and finance chair for Amigos Library Services, board member of the TexShare Advisory Committee, chair of the Texas Council of Academic Libraries, and as legislative representative for academic libraries in the Texas Library Association. In the latter role, she served as a witness for proposed legislation in support of academic libraries.

In her years in public institutions, she worked with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to support activities related to open educational resources and, more recently, to extend funding opportunities to private university libraries in Texas.

Michelle Rodriguez is the academic affairs business manager in the Office of the Provost at the University of the Incarnate Word. She specializes in financial analysis, budget management and strategic planning. Michelle has more than a decade of experience, including roles as administrative assistant to the provost and CFO/vice president of administrative services, and has proven expertise in operational efficiency, faculty coordination and compliance.

She is proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Power BI, Banner, Argos and DocuSign, and has beginner-level sign language skills. Michelle holds a master's degree in organizational development (2015) and a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies (2013) from the University of the Incarnate Word. She is expected to receive a bachelor of business administration with a minor in accounting in December 2026. Her research on leadership styles was published in the Leadership & Organizational Management Journal. She actively serves on University committees and advisory boards.

Erlinda López-Rodríguez, DrPH, MBA, CNMT, serves as the Director of Health Professions Initiatives and Unified In Wellness within Academic Affairs. Additionally, she is the Chair of the Human Performance Department and directs the Community Health Education and Nuclear Medicine programs within the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Profession. Holding a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Leadership and Advocacy and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Capella University, Dr. López-Rodríguez also earned her BS in Nuclear Medicine Science from UIW. With over 16 years in higher education and 15 years of clinical healthcare experience, she is deeply committed to advancing health literacy, community engagement, and wellness initiatives. At UIW, Dr. López-Rodríguez leads the Unified In Wellness initiative, promoting holistic student well-being through programs like Café Tours and De-Stress Events. She also organizes annual service mission trips to Oaxaca, Mexico, providing healthcare services to underserved communities. Dr. López-Rodríguez dedication to education and community service continues to inspire future health professionals.