Ross Zafonte named interim dean of the School of Medicine

By Travis Zimpfer, zimpfert@missouri.edu | Show Me Mizzou

University of Missouri President Mun Y. Choi has appointed Ross Zafonte as interim dean for the School of Medicine, effective Sept. 1.

Zafonte currently serves as executive vice dean for the school, where he oversees the development, supervision and assessment of its academic departments, working closely with MU Health Care leadership to achieve shared goals.

An internationally recognized physician and scientist, Zafonte is co-editor of “Brain Injury Medicine,” a foundational textbook in a field he has helped define over the course of his career. Recently, he was elected to the Association of American Physicians, one of the highest distinctions in academic medicine.

Prior to joining Mizzou in 2024, Zafonte held senior leadership roles at Harvard Medical School, Mass General Brigham and Spaulding Rehabilitation.

“Across every role, Dr. Zafonte has distinguished himself not only as a scientist and clinician but as a builder of institutions, programs, teams and the next generation of leaders in academic medicine,” President Choi said. “He is widely recognized for excellence in academic leadership, clinical innovation, philanthropy and national service.”

Richard Barohn will step down from his role as executive vice chancellor for health affairs and Hugh E. & Sarah D. Stephenson Dean, effective Sept. 1. Barohn will return to his faculty position in the Department of Neurology to focus on research, clinical care, teaching and scholarly activity.

With this leadership change, the university will eliminate the executive vice chancellor for health affairs position and establish a new executive committee that will include President Choi, Interim Dean Zafonte, MU Health Care CEO Ric Ransom and Ryan Rapp, executive vice president for finance and operations. The new model aligns clinical and academic domains, ensuring quality, safety, access, efficiency, fiscal sustainability, education and research productivity while preserving academic integrity and operational discipline.

This story originally appeared on Show Me Mizzou on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.