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Christopher W. O’Brien, Ph.D., LAT, ATC, FASAHP, FNAP, Dean of Health Sciences at Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s College, has been elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of Directors for the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP). 

O’Brien will begin his first term on Oct. 29, 2026, following the conclusion of ASAHP’s Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. As a board member, he will help guide the association’s work to advance health professions education through collaboration, leadership, innovation, and advocacy. 

“I am deeply honored to be elected to the ASAHP Board of Directors. One of my first priorities after joining Â鶹ÊÓƵ's College was to establish the institution's membership in ASAHP because I recognized the vital role the organization plays in advancing health professions education, and the organization has since become an invaluable partner in the growth of our Health Sciences programs,” said O’Brien. “Personally and professionally, I have benefited greatly from the relationships, leadership, and collaboration fostered through ASAHP. I am excited for the opportunity to give back and help advance the organization's mission while supporting the future of health professions education.” 

O’Brien has served as the inaugural dean of health sciences at Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s since 2017. In this role, he works with more than 35 faculty members across 17 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. He has helped develop new programs in exercise science, nursing, nutrition, and occupational therapy, as well as oversees the transition of the College’s athletic training program to the master’s degree level. 

A fellow of ASAHP, O’Brien currently chairs the association’s Clinical Education Committee and serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Allied Health. He is a distinguished public policy fellow of the National Academies of Practice Athletic Training Academy and a certified athletic trainer licensed in Pennsylvania. 

ASAHP represents more than 120 institutions and professional members across the United States that prepare students to enter the health professions workforce.