Announcing Leadership Transition at Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-25

 

Dear students, faculty and staff,

We write to share the news that University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Dean Ralph Altiere, PhD, has announced his intention to step away from his role as dean. He will continue as a member of the faculty and focus on the education mission of the school. 

We are pleased that Dr. Altiere will remain on our faculty as he begins the next chapter of a tremendously accomplished career. He will hold his current role for the duration of our national search for his successor, beginning immediately. 

Dr. Altiere joined the CU Pharmacy faculty nearly four decades ago, in 1987, as a researcher and educator. He was appointed associate dean for academic affairs in 1995 and was named dean in December 2006. Over the course of his tenure, Dr. Altiere has taken CU Pharmacy to ever greater heights and elevated the evolving field on the national and global stage. We are grateful for his tireless leadership and service, and we look forward to his accomplishments in his faculty role.

We have been fortunate to have such an outstanding scientist and respected colleague leading the longstanding pharmacy school, which has a rich history dating back to its original establishment in 1911 on the CU Boulder campus.

Dr. Altiere took the helm as dean just as CU Pharmacy was beginning its move to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus from the CU Health Sciences Center. Through a time of great change, he brought steady leadership, vast expertise and deep insight to the school and our campus. Over the years, he has built strong partnerships with the Skaggs family and the ALSAM Foundation, for whom the school was named in 2011, whose philanthropic investments made our current pharmacy building a reality and established a multimillion-dollar research endowment for the school. Most recently, Dr. Altiere helped secure the school’s first endowed chair of translational research. 

Throughout his leadership as one of the school’s longest-serving deans, CU Pharmacy grew in stature and program offerings. Dr. Altiere led CU Pharmacy to the top tier of pharmacy schools in the country ‒ ranked in the top 10% of schools today and in the top 15% for NIH funding ‒ and has fostered a culture of mentorship and support that has prepared countless students to lead in the field and drawn top talent to the faculty ranks. Over the course of his tenure, the school has also stood as a global leader in online pharmacy education and a hub of innovation in pharmacy research and drug development. 

Dr. Altiere led efforts to establish the PharmD program and boost the school’s professional education programs, educational and student support services, academic policy development and more. He is a prominent voice among national and international professional associations driving innovation in the field, serving in various leadership positions.

Dr. Altiere leaves CU Pharmacy positioned well for the future. The many pharmacy leaders and researchers who have trained here are a testament to his impact, and we will benefit from the legacy Dr. Altiere built as dean of CU Pharmacy for decades to come. 

Please join us in thanking Dr. Altiere for his outstanding service, thoughtful leadership and countless contributions to our school, our university and our partners during his time as dean.

Sincerely,

Don Elliman
Chancellor

Roderick Nairn
Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs