Kyle McInnis named senior advisor for strategic initiatives
Kyle McInnis, a nationally recognized and award-winning academic medical educator, researcher, and entrepreneurial leader who has built schools and innovative programs from the ground up, has been appointed by University President John T. Butler, S.J., to the inaugural post of senior adviser to the president for strategic initiatives and executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club.
McInnis, the founding dean of Providence College’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences, will emphasize BC’s health-focused academic program expansion as well as building partnerships and joint ventures between the University and companies, organizations, and institutions.
“I’m thrilled to be coming to Boston College,” McInnis said. “I’ve spent a good part of my career in Boston. I went to school here, worked here early in my career, and so it very much feels like I’m coming home. But the biggest motivation for me was being able to come to BC to align and support Fr. Butler’s leadership. I think the world of him and of the community here at Boston College. It’s really a highlight of my career.” <
“ There is so much going on here and we have a broad platform to work from. There is a level of academic excellence across the disciplines, grounded in the liberal arts and the Jesuit, Catholic tradition. I want to start from what we do best and help create new ventures from there that are distinctly BC. ”
McInnis spent much of his early career as a faculty member and clinical researcher in Boston’s academic medical community. His primary areas of expertise include physical activity, clinical exercise physiology, and the prevention of chronic cardiovascular and lifestyle-related diseases. His research has been aided by a range of federal and private funders and is currently supported for projects involving cognitive health and aging as well as prospective initiatives in human performance and nutrition in military personnel.
At Providence College, McInnis established the academic programs, faculty, and infrastructure for the new nursing and health sciences school. Over a very short period, the school established deep partnerships and collaborations with dozens of organizations and saw unprecedented enrollment demand.
He said he plans to bring that same collaborative focus to BC to support faculty, students, staff, and University leadership.
“I think my position will initially require a lot of input from across the University community. There is so much going on here and we have a broad platform to work from. There is a level of academic excellence across the disciplines, grounded in the liberal arts and the Jesuit, Catholic tradition. I want to start from what we do best and help create new ventures from there that are distinctly BC.”
McInnis said the Boston area presents unique opportunities.
“We live in the academic medical capital of the world. We have a world-class nursing school and programs in health care administration. We also have world-class research in the natural sciences. We’d like to utilize what we are currently doing so well to see what niche we can carve out to expand our leadership stronghold and value proposition within the Boston medical community, including leveraging our national brand in athletics and sports medicine.”
McInnis cited his experience in launching innovative programs at the Providence College School of Nursing and Health Sciences and establishing a foundation for interdisciplinary education that brings together the health sciences, clinical practice, and the liberal arts within the Catholic tradition.
“My work at Providence College has been instrumental in preparing me for a role like this at BC,” said McInnis. “I was charged with leading the development of a new school of nursing and health sciences from the ground up. And that required working with every aspect of the college internally, but also externally with alumni, with boards of trustees, and in the medical community in Rhode Island and throughout New England.”
McInnis’s portfolio will also include directing the Boston College Chief Executives Club, one of the nation’s premier business speaking programs. Several times a year, the CEO Club brings leading chief executives to Boston to speak to the leaders of companies based in the Boston area.
“The CEO Club is a great opportunity to make connections with really influential people,” said McInnis. “As we explore new ventures, I think this creates a great opportunity to build partnerships. I’m also excited to let as broad an audience as possible know about the great things happening at Boston College.”
Before joining Providence College, McInnis was founding dean of Merrimack College’s School of Health Sciences and provost at Johnson & Wales University, where he helped expand the university’s academic and research portfolio and led several successful health program accreditation initiatives.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my many different positions in academia to be very external facing and to be able to develop real meaningful partnerships,” said McInnis. “Given the history of Boston College, I’m excited to serve as a bridge builder, capitalizing on existing and new relationships.”