Temple University School of Pharmacy is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Zimm, PhD, RPh, MS, MBA, RAC, as assistant dean for RAQA academic and faculty affairs.

Dr. Zimm brings more than 26 years of experience with Temple's Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance (RAQA) programs, having served as an adjunct faculty member throughout that time.

In her new role, Dr. Zimm will be responsible for the implementation and quality of the RAQA programs. Her responsibilities will include managing courses, overseeing the practitioner-faculty lifecycle, fostering industry partnerships, and ensuring that the curriculum remains aligned with current industry standards and expectations.

Dr. Zimm will work closely with Dr. Dan Canney, assistant dean for RAQA and non-thesis MS and certificate programs, and Patricia Lee, director of RAQA, as part of a leadership team dedicated to strengthening and expanding these highly successful programs. Together, they will focus on enhancing the student experience and supporting enrollment growth across the school.

“Dr. Zimm’s  deep institutional knowledge, industry expertise, and longstanding commitment to student success make her exceptionally well qualified to lead in this next chapter for the RAQA programs,” said S. Suresh Madhavan, PhD, MBA, FAPhA, dean, Temple University School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Zimm’s career spans more than 30 years in the pharmaceutical and regulatory industry. She held positions at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Whitehall Robins, and retired from J&J in 2025. 

Temple's RAQA program is the country’s first and most comprehensive program and prepares students for careers across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. It combines the academic rigor of Temple’s R1 reputation with practitioner-led instruction grounded in current industry practice.