Alice L. Walton School of Medicine Expands Leadership Team and Announces Accreditation Milestone
October 25, 2023
Bentonville, Ark. (October 25, 2023) – Alice L. Walton School of Medicine today announced three key leadership hires: Sharon Bridges – General Counsel, Will Jemison – Chief of Staff, and David Roos – Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.
Founded in 2021, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is a nonprofit, four-year MD- program. Pending accreditation, the School will enhance traditional medical education with the arts, humanities, and whole health principles. As part of a multi-year accreditation process, the School was recently granted Candidate Status by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). This signals LCME’s formal recognition of Alice L. Walton School of Medicine as a candidate for accreditation and prompts the next step in the accreditation process and if successful would allow the School to recruit students in 2024 for matriculation in 2025.
“With these new staff appointments and the update in our accreditation status, we are one step closer to training physicians of the future,” said Dr. Sharmila Makhija, Founding Dean and CEO, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. “These passionate and dedicated leaders will add to our already dynamic team by driving operational planning, ensuring regulatory compliance, and developing the student affairs department to help us build a thriving learning environment.”
Sharon Bridges, General Counsel
Attorney Sharon F. Bridges serves as General Counsel for Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. In this role, she serves as a member of the Dean’s cabinet and Corporate Secretary to the board of trustees while overseeing the day-to-day operations of the legal department. She focuses her efforts on the School’s legal solutions and strategies, ensuring regulatory compliance and enterprise risk avoidance.
Attorney Bridges has over 25 years of executive experience with legal, regulatory and business experience in law firms, national corporations and non-profits. Attorney Bridges formerly served as Assistant General Counsel at Tulane University Medical School and Tulane University Medical Center. Prior to joining the School of Medicine, Attorney Bridges served as the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Baystate Health, Inc. in Springfield, Massachusetts, where she led the day-to-day operations of the legal department.
Attorney Bridges received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana. She also holds a Certificate in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion from the University of South Florida.
Will Jemison, Chief of Staff
Will Jemison, DHA, MBA is the Chief of Staff to the Dean and CEO of Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. In this role, Jemison serves as a member of the Dean’s cabinet, drives efficiency in operations and establishes program infrastructure and change management strategy and is a key representative of the Office of the Dean/CEO.
Prior to joining the School, Jemison was the Chief Administrative Officer for Resurrection Healthcare and Catholic Missions of the South in Montgomery, Alabama, where he was responsible for the operational, financial, and compliance needs of an organization focused on providing health care and educational services to infirmed, aged, and marginalized communities. He also served as Program Director for the Catholic Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, where he oversaw diversity and equity programs focused on equitable health access and restorative justice for individuals, families, and communities.
Jemison earned his Doctor of Healthcare Administration from Virginia University of Lynchburg and MBA from Louisiana State University.
David Roos, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
David Roos, EdD, MBA is the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs for Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. In this role, he provides leadership for all student affairs matters including career advising, academic assistance, student progress, student wellness, financial aid, registration, and academic events.
Dr. Roos was previously the Senior Director of Enrollment Management at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, where he oversaw the enrollment management process and supervised the Admissions, Recruitment, Campus Web Development & Operations, and Marketing offices.
Dr. Roos earned his Bachelor of Science, Computer Information Systems, Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Education, Curriculum & Instruction from Utah State University.
To learn more about the team, visit the Leadership page. Visit the Join Our Team page for all open positions.