Kiesel Named Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs

Kristin Kiesel, a professor of teaching in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, is the new associate dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs as of Oct. 1.

Kiesel, who joined UC Davis in 2015 is known as a kind, inclusive and supportive role model who teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in several topics, including behavioral economics, cooperative business enterprise and agricultural commodity markets. 

“Kristin is a thoughtful, dedicated professor with a student-centered teaching style that incorporates hands on learning and research,” Dean Ashley M. Stokes said when announcing the appointment. “We are incredibly excited to welcome Kristin to the leadership team and look forward to her commitment and vision as we support future generations of students.”

Undergraduate Academic Programs staff support students via advising, outreach efforts, community partnerships and other offerings to help students thrive, feel a sense of belonging and achieve their academic goals. 

In her role as associate dean, Kiesel aims to enhance the quality of undergraduate education by supporting and promoting academic success, expanding opportunities to be exposed to and take part in academic research and advocate for data-driven, research-informed administrative decision-making. 

Kiesel has long been an advocate and champion of inclusive learning, equity and critical thinking. “My vision is to move away from a one-sided instructional model toward mutually beneficial and supportive service-learning environments that strengthen aspirations, lower barriers to academic success, and allow all of our students to thrive,” she said.

She helped launch and co-directs the Diversity and Inclusion in Research, Education and Career Training, or DIRECT, program and is one of the leaders of Inclusive Teaching Coffee Chats, a program for faculty that focuses on how to better serve students and foster a sense of belonging. 

Kiesel is an active member of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, or AAEA. The Associated Students of the University of California, Davis, or ASUCD, awarded her the Excellence in Education Award in 2024 and she won the Committee on Women in Agricultural Economics- AAEA Senior Mentorship and Outreach Award in 2025. She also received the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Excellence in College and University Teaching in Food and Agricultural Sciences Award. 

Kiesel earned three master’s degrees: in communication sciences at the Technical University of Berlin in Germany, in applied and agricultural economics from Montana State University, Bozeman, and in agricultural and resource economics at UC Berkeley, where she also earned a Ph.D. in the same field. 

She was a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkely and a research scholar at Stanford University, later serving as director of the SIEPR-Giannini Data Center, a joint project of both institutions. She joined California State University, Sacramento, in 2009, working there until she joined UC Davis. 

Kiesel takes over from Susan Ebeler who will stay on for a few months as a faculty assistant to the dean to support ongoing initiatives.

Stokes thanked Ebeler for her years of extraordinary leadership. “Throughout her tenure, she has worked tirelessly to enhance the undergraduate experience, prioritize our advising and recruitment teams and championed several college programs,” Stokes said.