Message Archive

September 8, 2009

Interim Chair, Department of Surgery

It is a pleasure for me to announce the appointment of Dr. Denis Lafreniere as Interim Chair of the Department of Surgery.

Dr. Lafreniere graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in 1987 and completed his residency in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery here in 1992. He has been a member of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine faculty since 1992 and is currently Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Otolaryngology in the Department of Surgery. Clinically, he specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the voice and has established the University of Connecticut Voice and Speech Clinic as the only comprehensive voice clinic in the region. He currently sits on the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors for the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, and the Scientific Review Board for the Voice Foundation. He has been actively involved in Health Center leadership activities throughout his career and currently sits on the Clinical Council. He is also Chair of the Deans's Task force on the UConn Medical Group. Dr. Lafreniere will begin his work officially on October 1, 2009.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Robert Kozol for his outstanding work as Chair of the Department of Surgery here. In the coming days, I will announce plans for a national search for the next permanent Chair of Surgery at our institution. Thanks.

Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.
Vice President for Health Affairs
Dean, School of Medicine