UNC Selects New Dean for the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Heather Pendleton-Helm, longtime faculty leader and interim dean, brings over two decades of experience to the role

The University of Northern Colorado has selected Heather Pendleton-Helm, Ph.D., as the next dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences (EBS). Pendleton-Helm, who has been a member of the EBS faculty since 2004 and serving as interim dean for the college since July 2025, assumed her new role on Jan. 1, 2026.

Pendleton-Helm brings deep institutional knowledge and a history of respected leadership to her new role, having held positions as a program coordinator and as chair for the Department of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education for the past 14 years.

In addition to her academic positions, Pendleton-Helm also served four years as the interim director of UNC’s Counseling Center, where she supervised a multidisciplinary team of licensed professionals and trainees, and as a therapist and supervisor. Throughout her career in higher education, her roles reflect a steady progression of responsibility and trust, grounded in transparency, collaboration, and shared governance.

“I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Heather Pendleton-Helm, as the dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences,” said Provost and Executive Vice President Kirsten Fleming. “Heather has the benefit of length and breadth in her leadership experience, having both led an academic and a non-academic unit; all of this is augmented by putting her expertise into practice as a clinician. Heather has successfully led the college as interim dean, and I am confident that she will continue to do so as its permanent dean.”

A professor, licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist, Pendleton-Helm has maintained an active research agenda with national and international presentations, peer-reviewed publications and grant acquisitions.

As a college leader, she has been a champion for the faculty and the staff, promoting mentorship, overseeing faculty evaluation processes and comprehensive reviews, facilitating promotion and tenure processes, and creating initiatives that enhance retention, engagement and well-being.

As a longtime teacher and member of the UNC community, her own vision and values align with the university’s commitment to student success. In addition to supporting student-centered policies and practices to promote student retention, graduation and career readiness, she is actively engaged in advancing practices that support the university’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, ensuring inclusive and equitable student experiences.

Over the course of her tenure at UNC, Pendleton-Helm has demonstrated strategic leadership through the complexities of the evolving landscape of higher education. She has advanced innovative curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, provided fiscal oversight and cultivated stakeholder relationships. She also brings extensive experience in accreditation and regulatory review, including multiple successful cycles with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, the American Psychological Association and state reauthorization efforts related to School Counselor Special Service Provider standards.

“UNC has been my professional home since 2004, and stepping into this role is both a responsibility and a privilege,” said Pendleton-Helm. “I’ve witnessed firsthand the excellence of our faculty and the impact our graduates have across Colorado and beyond. I’m excited to build on our college’s strengths as we continue developing innovative, responsive programs that serve our students and communities.”

Pendleton-Helm earned her undergraduate degree from Washington State University and her master’s in Counseling and Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Mississippi, Oxford. During her tenure at UNC, Pendleton-Helm has been honored with several awards recognizing her commitment to teaching excellence, including the M. Lucile Harrison (lifetime achievement) award, EBS Outstanding Service Provider, Provost Award for Teaching Excellence in Graduate Education and the EBS Outstanding Teacher award.