Angela Branch-Vital, Ph.D. ’97 ’99
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (July 8, 2025) – Prairie View A&M University has announced the appointment of Dr. Angela Branch-Vital as the inaugural Dean of the School of Public and Allied Health (SPAH), effective immediately.
A double alumna of PVAMU, Dr. Branch-Vital earned both her B.S. and M.A. from the University before completing her Ph.D. in Behavioral Science/Health Promotion at the University of Texas School of Public Health, with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Her appointment marks a significant milestone for SPAH, which was formally launched in 2023 to expand opportunities in public and allied health education and research.
Dr. Branch-Vital has led the School from its inception as its founding executive director. She previously served as a department head and professor in Health and Kinesiology, where she helped guide the department through unprecedented growth and was instrumental in the development of the University’s Public Health degree in partnership with the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
Her research and service work have focused on health disparities, community-based interventions, and student wellness. Her portfolio includes grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Education. Her scholarship includes publications in areas such as obesity prevention, culturally sensitive mental health practices, and cancer prevention among African American college students.
As a professor, Dr. Branch-Vital has taught courses ranging from epidemiology and research methods to leadership and community health. She has mentored students who are now working across the public health and allied health sectors.
In her new role, Dr. Branch-Vital will provide strategic leadership for SPAH, aligning with the University’s Journey to Eminence 2035 strategic plan and its 2025–2030 roadmap aimed at elevating the School’s impact locally and globally. SPAH’s current priorities include academic excellence, student success, research innovation, expanded programming, and community engagement. The School is also pursuing program accreditations from the Council on Education for Public Health and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Dr. Branch-Vital will oversee the development of new graduate and doctoral programs and help grow interdisciplinary research and community partnerships, ensuring SPAH is a model for holistic, culturally competent healthcare education.
“I am immensely excited about the numerous opportunities the School of Public and Allied Health will offer to our students, institution, and targeted populations,” she previously said. “Our school will be committed to academic excellence and top-tier research to promote a holistic quality of life.”
The University community congratulates Dr. Angela Branch-Vital on this historic appointment and looks forward to the continued development of SPAH under her leadership.
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