On Dec. 1 Patricia Clark-Ellis, associate dean of the College of Health and Human Services, will become interim dean of the college.

The current dean, Marilyn Hopkins, is leaving Sacramento State to take on the position of provost and chief operating officer for Touro University, California.

“Patricia Clark-Ellis is an experienced educator and administrator, as well as a proficient social worker and attorney,” Hopkins said. “She will be an excellent interim dean and I leave the college in good hands.”

Clark-Ellis started at Sac State as a professor in the social work department and then moved her way up. She has worked for the university for more than 15 years and became the dean of HHS in 2002.

Clark-Ellis said the promotion to interim dean was not something she anticipated.

Fred Baldini, chair of the kinesiology and health science department, will take over Clark-Ellis’ job as HHS interim associate dean. His promotion also goes into effect Dec. 1.

“We’ve already started to work together on some things. I’m really excited about the opportunity and I’m learning a lot. It’s a big step up in responsibilities,” Baldini said.

Clark-Ellis said she does not have plans to make changes to the college, but instead will focus on continuing its mission.

“My goal is to fulfill the mission of the college, and the mission of the college basically talks about providing a sound education for our students and also graduate students with leadership qualities,” Clark-Ellis said.

Clark-Ellis has extensive experience working with students, as well as faculty and staff. Prior to being associate dean, Clark-Ellis achieved the rank of full professor and held the position of coordinator for the undergraduate program in the division of social work. She was also director of field education for undergraduate, graduate and intensive weekend social work students.

Clark-Ellis serves on a number of committees and boards, including the President’s Sacramento State University Foundation Board and the California Court Appointed Special Advocates Association Board.

“As a professor, she is one of the most student-centered faculty members I have worked with,” said Donna Hoenig-Couch, judicial administration fellowship director for the Center for California Studies.

Clark-Ellis was among three other members of the planning committee to create the Judicial Administrative program in 2007. Last year, seven students did internships through the program.

“Every year, I find students who are in need of mentoring,” Clark-Ellis said. “Impacting their lives and forming relationships with students, I think, has been the most important thing that’s happened to me on this campus.”

Clark-Ellis actively works with foster children through the Guardian Scholars Program at Sac State. The program is designed to provide mentorship to foster children who are attending college.

It is important to encourage students to do well in school and graduate, Clark-Ellis said.

“I want to help students, but I want to empower them to be advocates for their own education,” Clark-Ellis said.

Clark-Ellis has a juris doctorate from the UC Davis School of Law. She worked as an associate attorney at The Crow Law Firm in Sacramento and later as a sole practitioner, specializing in Social Security law.

After a seven-year hiatus from Sac State, Clark-Ellis returned to her lecturing position because she missed the learning environment at Sac State, she said.

Clark-Ellis said she is looking forward to her new position as interim dean, even though she knows there will be adversity along the way.

“I know these are challenging times at the university, but I look forward to working with my departmental chairs and the faculty and students and staff to at least maintain the quality of our programs and hopefully to improve the education of our students here on campus,” Clark-Ellis said.

Hoenig-Couch said Clark-Ellis’ wide-ranging experience will bring a wealth of resources to the critical work of the College of HHS.

“(Clark-Ellis) is personally magnetic and encouraging,” Hoenig-Couch said. “She will make a fine campus dean.”

Inna Gritsak can be reached at [email protected].