Leadership

Founding Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine

A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Steven Marks came to Clemson in 2023 after positions at the North Carolina State University (2005-2023), University of Illinois (2001-2005), Louisiana State University (1996-2001), Colorado State University (1995-1996), Cardio Pet, Inc. (1994-1995), and Washington State University (1990-1994). He also served as president of the Small Animal Internal Medicine Specialty in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine from 2009 to 2012.

Dr. Marks’ research interests involve emergency and critical care, general internal medicine, cardiopulmonary medicine, and pain management. As a teacher, Dr. Marks is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Norden Distinguished Teacher Award at Louisiana State University (1999), the Pfizer Distinguished Teacher Award at NC State (2009), the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award at NC State (2013) and most recently, the 2014 NC State Outstanding Teacher Award.

Dr. Marks received his BVSc degree from the University of Liverpool Faculty of Veterinary Science in 1989. He had a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine. He completed his residency in small animal internal medicine at Washington State University, where he also earned a master’s degree in veterinary medicine.

View Dean Steven Marks' full faculty bio.

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Dr. Nicki Wise grew up in Walterboro SC and after earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Winthrop University, she was accepted into the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a rotating large animal internship at Texas A&M followed by an equine internal medicine residency and Master’s degree at Washington State University. Dr. Wise became board-certified with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2010 and then remained at WSU to pursue a PhD (from Washington State University) under the USDA Agriculture Research Service. She joined the faculty at St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2014 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery. She was promoted to Professor in 2019 and was later appointed to the role of Associate Dean of Year Four Clinical Training.

Dr. Wise is committed to the education and support of the next generation of veterinarians. She is honored and excited to be returning home to South Carolina to help establish the state's first college of veterinary medicine.

View Nicki Wise's full faculty bio.

Associate Dean of Clinical Programs

Dr. Brian Butler has been actively involved in providing veterinary education since 2013. After graduating from St. George’s University with a DVM degree in 2005, Dr. Butler entered small animal practice for two years before completing a Ph.D. in comparative pathology at the University of California-Davis, followed by a pathology residency at Cornell University. Dr. Butler received board certification with the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 2015. In addition to teaching and administrative service, he is interested in companion animal surgical pathology with an emphasis on gastrointestinal disease, hepatic pathology, and dermatopathology. Areas of research experience include mucosal immunology with a focus on the development of animal models of infectious and non-infectious inflammatory intestinal disease.

Dedicated to the support and professional development of all veterinary students, he believes the veterinary educational experience is an opportunity to expose students to the wide range of career opportunities available within this exciting profession. He is honored to be a part of the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine and is committed to bridging the gap between medical theory and practical clinical training for all Clemson students.

View Brian Butler's full faculty bio.

Associate Vice President, Strategic Planning and Initiatives

Dr. Dianne Dunning is currently the Associate Vice President of Strategic Planning and Initiatives at Clemson University. She is responsible for fundraising and Strategic Planning and Projects related to the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine. Previously she was the Associate Dean for Advancement, with an accomplished programmatic leader for eighteen years at NC State's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Dunning received her DVM degree from Washington State University (DVM 1993), an MS from Colorado State University, and completed a Doctoral Program in Health Leadership at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health. She is also a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive and teaches fundraising fundamentals on a state and national level.

Dunning was previously a faculty member at Louisiana State University and the University of Illinois before joining the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005, where she was a clinical professor with responsibilities for strategic, programmatic and facilities planning. As Associate Dean for Advancement, she was responsible for all development, communications and marketing, continuing education, outreach and events, and alumni affairs. With her talented Advancement team, she was currently leading one of the most successful development eras in NC State's CVM history.

View Dianne Dunning's Full Faculty Bio

Chief of Staff and Operations

As Chief of Staff and Operations for the College of Veterinary Medicine at Clemson University, Darbi Roberts serves as a strategic advisor and counsel to the Dean and provides operational leadership for the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine. She oversees the business operations of the college, builds culture by orchestrating the hiring and onboarding of staff and faculty and oversees the facilities and technological infrastructure needed to support learning at the college.

Roberts has more than 15 years of experience in student affairs, academic administration and international education at various institutions, including Carnegie Mellon University and Columbia University. With master’s and doctoral degrees from Teachers College—Columbia University in Comparative and International Education, her expertise is in navigating the impact of policy, practice and programs on institutions and students and bridging the intersection of academic and student affairs.

Roberts calls Greenville, SC, her current home with husband Tyler, her 2 children (Efrom and Blythe), 2 cats (Cricket and Kismet), and dog (Pickles).

Director of Marketing and Communications

Harris comes to Clemson from the largest school system in Western North Carolina, Buncombe County Schools, where she has served since 2015, most recently as their Director of Communications/Public Information. Harris managed all internal and external communications, public relations, digital marketing, and crisis communications.

A Greenville native and graduate of Wake Forest University, Harris worked in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools communications department for several years after graduation. She then transitioned to TV news and then creative services and promotions. Over nearly a decade, Harris worked in Nebraska, West Virginia, and Virginia at various TV stations as a reporter, anchor, and videographer. Throughout her career, she has gained extensive experience in telling compelling stories and engaging diverse audiences.

Harris earned a Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Montreat College and her Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership through Gardner-Webb University.

Chief Business Officer

As Chief Business Officer, McCall oversees the finance operations, stewarding the college's resources, assets and business affairs through strategic budget and financial planning.

She earned her bachelor's degree in financial management from Clemson University in 2008 and began working on campus upon graduation. She has developed a broad skill set as she progressed through financial positions over the past 15 years.

Executive Assistant to the Dean

McCall serves as the executive assistant to the Dean of the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine, providing organizational support while coordinating schedules, facilitating communication between senior leadership and various stakeholders and coordinating special events.

She has provided senior-level administrative assistance in various roles over the past 17 years and has been employed with Clemson University since 2014.

Dr. Boosinger served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Auburn University from 2011 to 2018. He was appointed to the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University in 1983 and served as associate dean for academic affairs of the college from 1993 to 1995 and dean from 1995 to 2011.

Most recently, he served Clemson University as interim dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences in 2018 and later as interim dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities from 2019 to 2020. He has served as Special Assistant to the provost since 2020. Boosinger earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1976 and his Ph.D. in 1983, both from Purdue University.

Dr. Boyd Parr is currently serving as a Special Assistant to the Provost at Clemson and Co-Chair of the Clemson Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine Steering Committee and resides in Newberry, SC.

Boyd grew up on a registered Jersey dairy farm in Newberry County. He received a B.S. from Clemson University in Pre-Professional Studies with high honors. He earned his D.V.M. from the University of Georgia in 1978.

Upon graduation from UGA, Dr. Parr began a private veterinary practice based in Newberry that he continued for 26 years engaging in bovine production medicine serving clients in SC, GA, and NC with a focus on dairy and cow-calf operations. He joined Clemson Livestock Poultry Health in 2004 and served South Carolina’s State Veterinarian and Director of Clemson University Livestock Poultry Health from 2009 until his retirement on July 1, 2021. Parr is also currently serving as President of the SC Association of Veterinarians, the AVMA Council on Public Health, and is an Adjunct Professor in the Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department at Clemson.