David Darr named associate dean for administration
August 25, 2025
David Darr, MBA, MS, has been named associate dean for administration at Carolina Nursing, effective September 8, 2025.
In this role, Darr will serve as the School’s chief financial officer, responsible for budget planning, monitoring and analysis. He will also oversee administrative operations—including human resources, instructional technology and facilities—and lead the construction project for the new Nursing Education Building.
His leadership will be instrumental as Carolina Nursing expands its academic and research enterprise and prepares to move into our new Nursing Education Building. We are delighted to welcome him to the School of Nursing and look forward to the expertise and vision he will bring to our community.
Dean Val Howard, UNC School of Nursing
Darr brings more than 16 years of leadership experience in academic medical centers. Most recently, Darr has served as associate chair for administration at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he managed a staff of more than 90 and coordinated administrative operations spanning grants management, finance, facilities, communications and shared resources. Darr has played a pivotal role in developing new budgetary procedures, modernizing reporting systems, strengthening faculty recruitment and retention processes and leading major renovations and space planning efforts for the University’s largest research unit. He also serves as the direct administrator for UNC Lineberger’s Cancer Center Support Grant, critical funding from the National Cancer Institute that supports cancer research, clinical care and education across North Carolina.
Darr earned a Master of Business Administration from East Carolina University, a Master of Science in biology from UNC Greensboro and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Wake Forest University. His professional service includes roles as an NIH Cancer Center site visitor, external advisory board reviewer for multiple cancer centers, and active member of the Cancer Center Administrators Forum and the Association of American Cancer Institutes. He is also a co-founder and current president of the Association of Cancer Center Administrators, a national organization of more than 450 members dedicated to developing future leaders in the field.