Faculty & Staff Directory

Areas of Specialization

Voice, Respiratory Muscle Strength Training, Swallow function, Neurodegenerative Diseases

Education

• Ph.D. Speech Science, State University of New York at Buffalo
• M.A., Communication Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo
• B.A., Communication Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo

Awards & Honors

• UpSkill Together Partner, 2022
• Faculty Award for Excellence in Scholarship & Professional Activities, Jacksonville University, 2016, 2017
• Jacksonville Business Journal Woman of Influence, 2016
• T. Brooks Brown Rehabilitation Research Award, 2014
• Department of Veteran's Affairs, Service Award, 2013
• ASHA ACE Award, 2002 - 2004, 2007, 2016

Professional Information

Dr. Chris Sapienza was appointed Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs on May 1, 2018 she served as Provost for 5 years and has recently transitioned to her new role of EVP of Partnerships & Development as of June 1, 2023.

Dr. Sapienza joined Jacksonville University in July of 2013 as Associate Dean and Program Director for Communication Sciences and Disorders where she helped establish the first programs of its kind at the University. In May 2014, Dr. Sapienza was tapped to lead the formation and strategic growth of the first new college at the university in more than thirty years, the Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences. Under her leadership as Dean, the college has garnered significant research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs and received accreditation from the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology for its new master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology, the first in the region, as well as accreditation for numerous other graduate programs. Her leadership saw the installation of one of the largest and most sophisticated nursing simulation laboratories in the State of Florida, and the establishment of numerous partnerships throughout the healthcare industry. The College now stands as one of the largest and fastest growing at the university.

Prior to coming to JU, Dr. Sapienza served for eight years as chair of the University of Florida’s highly ranked department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, helping it become a top 10 department within the UF Health Science Center. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation R&D Service, the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the non-profit CurePSP. She has built a strong national and international reputation for expertise in the design and implementation of larger scale randomized clinical trials examining treatments and protective disorders, as well as the careful reporting of peer reviewed outcomes from these studies. Dr. Sapienza has been widely published in the area and is highly sought after by the scientific community as a keynote speaker, presenter and to lead workshops and clinical teaching platforms. Dr. Sapienza has served on numerous college and university administrative committees and boards, serves extensively in the community, and is the recipient of awards through a variety of local and national channels including the Florida Blue Sapphire Award, Brooks Rehabilitation Research Award, and various dissertation advising, faculty, and professor designations.​ Dr. Sapienza holds a Ph.D. Speech Science, State University of New York at Buffalo as well as an M.A. and B.A., Communication Sciences.