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Owens Completes National Search, Hires Farias as new Nursing and Health Professions Leader

Owens named Dr. Teddy Farias as its new Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions after a national search.

Owens Community College has named Dr. Teddy Farias as its next Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. Farias started at the college on Monday, October 26.

“There’s a lot of great things going on here,” Farias said. “The leadership is great. This facility (Healthcare Education Center) is state-of-the-art as compared to other facilities. It has all of the allied health programs along with nursing, which a lot of other places don’t have.

“It just felt right. It was an interesting opportunity. It’s a great group of students, leadership, faculty, the program, the facility, the area, it just felt right. I’m excited to see what we can do to continue on and expand what we have here.”

Farias comes to Owens from San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas, where he served as the Dean of Health and Natural Sciences for eight years. Prior to that, he was the Dean of Health Sciences at the Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology in Kansas, the Dean of Health Sciences at San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico, and the Department Chair of Health Sciences at Kaplan University in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

A native of Missouri, Farias received his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri, a Master of Science in Higher Education from Purdue Global, and his Doctorate of Chiropractic from Logan University.

“It’s a learning curve that I’m excited for, being new to the area and learning the students, faculty, staff, K-12 partners, higher ed partners, local industry and local communities,” Farias said. “I’m excited to learn and immerse myself in the community.”

Farias was hired after a national search. He replaces Cathy Ford, who retired from Owens in July 2025 after 43 years at the college. Dr. Michael Sander, Dean of Liberal Arts, served as interim dean.

“Dr. Farias stood out for the breadth of experience he brings to this role in clinical practice, health professions education, higher education leadership and workforce development,” said Dr. Denise Smith, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs. “His background in accreditation and national leadership, together with his commitment to academic excellence, positions him to strengthen Nursing and Health Professions and prepare students to meet the needs of their communities and the healthcare workforce.”

Farias said the Healthcare Education Center and the opportunities is provides for Interprofessional Education was a big selling point for him and stands out as a premier facility for students. The $27.8 million facility was opened in 2025 and houses all 11 healthcare disciplines at the college.

“This building was built for expansion and it was built with intentionality,” Farias said. “There are a lot of opportunities for the different professions to collaborate. There are a lot of common spaces where you’ll see students from different programs studying together. It creates a sense of collaboration.

“This is a cutting-edge facility with the latest and greatest of equipment. It’s a great environment for students to learn.”

Graduates from the School of Nursing and Health Professions have long been among the best in northwest Ohio. More Owens nursing graduates have met or exceeded state and national NCLEX pass rates over the past 20 years than graduates from any other regional nursing program. Owens graduates fill a critical pipeline to regional employers, including ProMedica, Mercy Health and Blanchard Valley Health.

In the fall 2026 semester, Registered Nursing was the top enrolled program, with 518 students. The college’s first bachelor’s degree program, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing grew to 20 students during the semester as well. Of the top 10 career-focused programs at Owens, four are from the School of Nursing and Health Professions — Registered Nursing, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Radiologic Technology and Physical Therapy Assistant.

“Wichita is known for airplanes and Houston is known for oil and gas, so a city where healthcare is as big as it is here is refreshing and welcoming,” Farias said. “That was another big part in my decision to come here was looking at the local community and seeing that healthcare is a big part of this community as far as the economy.”

Throughout Farias’ career, he has been engaged with faculty and students while also fostering meaningful community partnerships. He believes it’s important for students to give back to the communities where they will eventually live and work.

In addition to his professional experience, Farias currently serves as the president of the National Network of Health Career Programs in Two-Year Colleges, is a board member of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, is a peer evaluator for The Commission on Colleges and Universities, and commissioner for the American Association of Community Colleges Workforce Development Commission.

Farias’ career has included service as a healthcare practitioner, faculty member, department chair and dean, allowing him to bring a broad perspective to Owens. He’s also developed partnerships to strengthen educational quality and workforce development. Through all of that, he’s relied upon environments where faculty expertise is respected, multiple perspectives are welcomed and decisions are informed through open communication and dialogue.

“The key thing is listening and not coming in and making change for the sake of change,” Farias said. “There are very different ways to make things work. When you’re talking about that stamp, you have to be very strategic on where you pick and choose to put it. That hypothetical stamp, a little goes a long way. The key is listening and observing and chiming in where needed.”