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Office of the Dean of Students
325 Tate Student Center
Athens, GA 30602
706-542-7774 | dosadmin@uga.edu
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Office of the Dean of Students
325 Tate Student Center
Athens, GA 30602
706-542-7774 | dosadmin@uga.edu
Organization Chart | Dean of Students Office Website »
Biographical Info
Bill McDonald became Dean of Students at the University of Georgia on January 1, 2011. In this role, he is known as a strong student advocate who meets with student groups and individual students on a daily basis.
McDonald oversees five departments, including the Disability Resource Center, Student Care and Outreach, Student Veterans Resource Center, Tate Student Center (including UGA’s Freedom of Expression Policy and the Center for Student Activities and Involvement, which administers approximately 800 student organizations), and University Testing Services. Additional responsibilities include advising the Student Government Association and serving as the Chair of the Behavioral Assessment and Response Council, the designated Sexual Assault Appeals Hearing Officer, and the Student Affairs Divisional Liaison to the Campus Ministry Association. McDonald also maintains Graduate Faculty status in the College of Education.
McDonald has 38 years of experience at colleges and universities throughout the southeast. He has held elected and appointed leadership positions within the American College Personnel Association, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and the Southern Association of College Student Affairs. Author of dozens of publications in higher education journals with a focus on model partnerships between academic and student affairs, assessing student perceptions of community, building campus community, diversity and inclusivity, and ethical decision making.
Active in community service, McDonald currently serves as a member of the National Campus Advisory Committee for the College Diabetes Network and as a member of the Advisory Board for Branch Banking and Trust Company. He is also a Clark County Community Mentor. Prior activities include serving as the Vice Chair of the Athens Light the Night Walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Northeast Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross, and participating and graduating from LEAD Athens and the Georgia Academy for Economic Development.
McDonald received an Ed.D. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, an M.A. from Appalachian State University and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Biographical Info
Jan Davis Barham is Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Tate Student Center. She is responsible for managing the operations of Tate to include facility services, Campus Reservations Events and Technical Services, Print & Copy Services, the UGA Card Office, the UGA Chapel, and the Center for Student Activities & Involvement, which administers the Student Government Association, University Union Student Programming Board, Pandora Yearbook, WUOG 90.5FM, the Graduate Student Association, and over 800 registered student organizations. Jan also oversees the Freedom of Expression Policy for the University of Georgia and serves as a member of the Behavioral Response Team.
Jan received her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in 2004, her master’s degree from Appalachian State University in 1997 and her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1994. She has served as a Graduate Faculty member in the College Student Affairs Administration program at the University of Georgia for the last seven years. Jan has authored several published articles including Increasing Accountability in Student Affairs Through a New Comprehensive Assessment Model, and most recently co-edited a book, A Practitioners Guide to Assessment.
Biographical Info
Taylor Cain is the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Engagement, Leadership, and Service (ELS) where she leads a team of over 20 staff in the coordination and direction of student activities, involvement, service, and leadership initiatives in the mission of amplifying the collegiate experience at the University of Georgia. She also serves as one of the direct advisors for the Student Government Association (SGA).
Joining the University of Georgia in 2013, Taylor first worked directly with student organizations and has since served in several roles to include overseeing student activities and the programming board, student governance organizations, and first-year and transfer student experience initiatives. Over the course of her career, she has planned, executed, or consulted on hundreds of events to include those with attendance of nearly 9,000. In 2016, Taylor spearheaded the creation of a welcome experience later named Welcome UGA encompassing hundreds of events in the first six weeks of the fall and spring semesters.
Taylor also currently serves as the Foundation Ambassador for NASPA (Student Affairs Professional in Higher Education) Region III and as a National At-Large Governor on the University of South Carolina Alumni Association Board of Governors. She has previously served as the Georgia State Co-Director for NASPA Region III. Her research and professional interest areas include supervision and organizational management, college student voter and civic engagement, and student involvement.
Taylor holds a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of South Carolina. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. from UGA’s College Student Affairs Administration program.
Biographical Info
Beau Seagraves is responsible for overseeing Student Care and Outreach, which provides individualized assistance to students experiencing hardship circumstances, support to faculty and staff working with students in distress, and guidance to parents seeking help and information on behalf of their students. He also coordinates the case management functions for the university’s Behavioral Assessment and Response Council (BARC).
Beau received a B.A. in History & Political Science from Furman University. He holds an M.Ed. in Counselor Education from Clemson University and a Ph.D. in Counseling & Student Personnel Services from the University of Georgia. Beau has worked within the Division of Student Affairs at UGA since 2007. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the university’s Department of Counseling and Human Development Services. Prior to coming to UGA, Beau worked at Presbyterian College and Furman University.
Biographical Info
Carrie Smith serves as the Assistant Dean of Students for Student Care & Outreach, providing individualized support and assistance to students experiencing hardship circumstances. She oversees general case management within Student Care & Outreach. Additionally, Carrie provides trainings and informational sessions to campus and community partners about working with students of concern and the role of Student Care & Outreach. Carrie also serves as a member of the university’s Behavioral Assessment and Response Council (BARC).
Carrie received a B.B.A. in Marketing from Mississippi State University, an M.Ed. in Counselor Education from the University of Mississippi, and she holds a Ph.D. in College and Student Personnel Services from UGA. She worked in corporate public relations at Fleishman-Hillard before returning to the field of education to serve as the Assistant Director of Admissions at The Browning School. Prior to coming to UGA, Carrie worked with graduate admissions, scholarship programming, and athletics at the University of Mississippi. She served as the Student Affairs Case Manager before this position.
Biographical Info
Samantha Adair joined SCO’s staff as a case manager in 2021 and manages a varied caseload of students. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Georgia as well as a Master of Arts degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Georgia. Samantha previously worked at UGA in several departments including the Disability Resource Center, Psychology Department and the Athletic Department. Prior to her career at UGA, she provided interventions for elementary school students with learning disabilities and taught an undergraduate educational psychology course.
Biographical Info
Greg Albanese graduated from the University of Georgia in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and received his master’s degree in agricultural leadership in 2004.
Greg began his career at the Tate Student Center as a student employee in 1995 then as a full-time staff member beginning in 1998. He is currently the Associate Director for Facilities and Operations.
Greg is married to Mandi Herrin Albanese who also works at UGA in the Office of Academic Planning.