College of Health Sciences and Human Services

Dean

Dr. Vanessa Lopez-Littleton is the Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). Lopez-Littleton is a Professor of Public Administration and Nonprofit Management. 

Prior to her appointment as Interim Dean, Dr. Lopez-Littleton served as Chief Assistant to the Dean of CHSHS; Department Chair for Health, Human Services, and Public Policy; and Director of the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence.

Interim Dean Lopez-Littleton brings a strong background in leadership, management, and public sector governance. She has served over 200 nonprofit and government agencies throughout her career. She is an active scholar who researches the structural causes of health inequities, with a focus on naming, measuring, and addressing the impacts of social, economic, and political influences on health and well-being. She actively participates in designing innovative graduate and undergraduate programs, works with diverse teams to develop inclusive classroom and academic practices, and partners with public entities to improve organizational and management performance.

She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center and First Vice President of the Monterey County Branch of the NAACP. She is also the Chair of the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) Section on Democracy and Social Justice.

She is the proud mother of Peter Lopez II, Marcus Lopez and Camryn Lopez-Littleton and grandmother to Layla Lopez and Zion Lopez.

You can contact the Dean's Office at deanchshs@csumb.edu.

Interim Dean Vanessa Lopez-Littleton
College of Health Sciences and Human Services

As quality of life, disease prevention, and culturally resonant health care become part of the fabric of health and human service delivery, CHSHS offers programs that train students as experts in front-line, effective strategies to eradicate the health and human services inequities that plague our nation. As our collective economic welfare becomes increasingly linked with the well-being of our populace, we seek new ways to prevent health conditions and diseases that limit quality of life. With prevention rapidly becoming a top priority, CHSHS faculty are devoted to designing innovative strategies to help communities thrive and achieve optimal wellness where we work, live, and play.