Dear Members of the TC Community,

I am delighted to share that Dr. Laura Smith, Professor of Psychology and Education in the Counseling Psychology Program and the Vice Dean of Faculty Affairs, will be stepping into the role of Interim Provost, effective July 1, 2026. I am looking forward to working closely with Dr. Smith for the balance of my tenure as President.

A long-time TC community member, Dr. Smith joined our faculty in the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology in 2005. She is also a recognized leader at the College, having served as Chair of the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology from 2021 until 2025, when she became the Vice Dean of Faculty Affairs. 

Dr. Smith’s research team, IncLab, studies and publishes on critical approaches to psychology, addressing the interface of psychological practice with social marginalization and, most recently, the mapping of psychology’s early engagement with artificial intelligence. Dr. Smith was previously the Director of Training for Pace University's Predoctoral Psychology Internship Program and the founding Director of the Rosemary Furman Counseling Center at Barnard College. She was also the Director of Psychological Services at the West Farms Center in the Bronx, where she provided services, training and programming within a multifaceted community-based organization. 

Dr. Smith received her B.A. in English and Psychology with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.

On a personal note, I have gotten to know Dr. Smith well during my time as President and have appreciated her wise counsel and innovative contributions to our Public Good Initiative. I am so pleased that she has agreed to lead the Academic Affairs area. I know we will benefit from her many talents, including her devotion to building on TC’s historic contributions to the field, her strong relationships with faculty and administration and her demonstrated commitment to supporting TC’s collegial culture and strategic vision.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Smith in this new role.

Sincerely,

Thomas Bailey
President 
Teachers College, Columbia University