Lisa Taneyhill
Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor
Dr. Lisa Taneyhill currently serves as the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and has been a member of the University of Maryland (UMD) faculty since 2007. As Associate Provost, Dr. Taneyhill collaborates with university and external partners to support academic excellence and innovation, advancing the goals and priorities of our Fearlessly Forward strategic plan. Overseeing a broad range of strategic initiatives across the division, she serves as an advisor and key member of the Provost’s leadership team. She works with partners across campus to support the ongoing implementation and advancement of the strategic plan’s key areas and track the plan’s progress. She also plays an essential role in setting enrollment goals and strategies, overseeing short- and long-term academic facilities planning, and representing the division in our system of shared governance.
Dr. Taneyhill joined the Office of the Provost in July of 2025, after nearly two decades as a UMD faculty member in the Department of Animal & Avian Sciences. Dr. Taneyhill has been integral to UMD’s research and academic enterprises. In addition to her primary appointment in the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, she is a faculty member in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, and an affiliate in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics. She previously served as Assistant Chair for the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences where she was responsible for its administrative duties, including budget management, admissions and personnel, as well as oversight of the unit's facility renovations and equipment improvements.
Dr. Taneyhill has served as the Principal Investigator for her lab, both in managing its operations, personnel and budgets, as well as prioritizing the importance of mentoring students, providing experiential learning opportunities, and setting them up for success in their future careers. In addition to serving as Assistant Chair, she has taken on a variety of leadership roles at the departmental and campus levels, including serving the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences' strategic planning committee, chairing the University Research Council, and serving on the University Senate. She was also a College of Agriculture and Natural Resources ADVANCE Professor and participated in the Big 10 Academic Alliance's Academic Leadership Program.
Outside of the university, she currently serves as the Assistant Editor for Developmental Dynamics and Associate Editor for Frontiers in Craniofacial Biology and Dental Research. She is President for the Society for Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology, and a member of the American Association for Anatomy Scientific Affairs Committee. She has received numerous awards and recognitions at UMD for her teaching and mentorship and has been frequently recognized for her scholarship by the scientific community, most recently being named a fellow of the American Association for Anatomy.
Prior to joining UMD, she completed her postdoctoral training in developmental biology at the California Institute of Technology. She holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and biochemistry from McDaniel College, and master's and doctorate degrees in molecular biology from Princeton University.