The University of Washington Board of Regents has approved a proposal to name deans to the two schools recently named at the University of Washington Bothell. At a university, a dean serves as academic leader of a school and is the bridge between the faculty and senior administration.

David Allen will be the dean of the School of Nursing and Health Studies, while Bradley Portin will serve as dean of the School of Educational Studies.

“Dr. Portin and Dr. Allen have already made a tremendous impact at UW Bothell as they lead programs that graduate excellent talent in education and healthcare,” said University of Washington Bothell Chancellor Wolf Yeigh. “I am certain that they will continue to lead and inspire great innovation here and throughout the region.”

Allen holds undergraduate degrees in both English and nursing. He began his academic career studying theatre, but transitioned to the study of nursing. He holds bachelors and master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Wisconsin, with a specialty in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.

Allen arrived at the UW Seattle School of Nursing as Chair of Psychosocial Nursing in 1988. Later he chaired the Department of Psychosocial and Community Health in Seattle’s School of Nursing.  He was also Adjunct Professor in Women Studies. Allen was Chair of Women Studies (which became Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies) from 2005 until 2012. He assumed the role as Director of Nursing and Health Studies Program at UW Bothell in 2012.

Portin holds a bachelor’s degree in business education and elementary education from the University of Washington and a master’s of education in school administration from Seattle Pacific University. He also holds a Ph.D. in education studies, from the University of Oxford. His most recent area of focus is in the current roles of school principals, teacher leaders and how roles are changing to meet learning needs for all students.

Portin arrived at UW Bothell in 2009. He holds appointments as an Adjunct Professor for the UW Seattle College of Education, and as an interdisciplinary faculty member for the UW Seattle Museology Program.

Portin is on the editorial board for the journal, Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability and has held visiting professorships in Norway, England, and the United Arab Emirates.

The University of Washington Bothell was created 25 years ago as a branch campus of the University of Washington with academic programs, rather than schools. All programs at UW Bothell are now schools led by deans.

With more than 4,900 students, UW Bothell is now the fastest-growing public university in the state of Washington and the fourth fastest growing university in the country.

Both Allen and Portin previously held the title of director of their respective programs. The change in title is effective Dec. 16.