Previously, LaKisha served as the Associate Dean for Finance and Administration at the Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) Dean’s office, beginning in 2014, where she ensured organizational alignment in the areas of Finance, Human Resources and Facilities. She worked with countless faculty and staff across the HSOM to allocate and approve budgets, conduct financial forecasting, interpret policies, and manage federal regulations regarding funded research. She collaborated with UAB Health System colleagues and 28 HSOM department chairs, administrators, center and institute directors and played an integral role in HSOM leadership faculty recruitments and retentions.  

In her role as Senior Associate Dean for Finance and Administration she ensured policy compliance for the HSOM and the university, participated in strategic planning and collaborated with the university and health system on all administrative and financial activities. As lead administrator, she oversaw the development of the HSOM Dean’s Office $900 million annual budget, and also lead the implementation of the University’s Resource Centered Management (RCM) budget allocation model within the HSOM and coordinated the Academic Enrichment Fund (AEF) funding and approval process. 

LaKisha’s UAB career began more than 20 years ago, in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she was a financial assistant in the Center’s clinical studies unit. Following that, she spent more than 10 years working in various roles across Central Administration, the School of Health Professions, and the Department of Medicine, both in the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology and the Chair’s office. 

In the Department of Medicine, LaKisha was the Division Administrator and Director of Operations and built infrastructure to support faculty growth and operational leadership across all three-mission areas: clinical, research and education. A native of Long Beach, California, LaKisha attended Samford University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and UAB where she earned a Masters in Health Administration. She and her husband Donald have one daughter, Morgan.