The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to announce that Executive Administrator, Mary McDougal, MPA, has been awarded the 2025 Dean’s Excellence Award for Staff for her role in overseeing the administrative functions of the Department of Surgery and its 650 faculty and staff. 

McDougal earned an undergraduate degree in political science and sociology from Virginia Polytechnic University and a Master of Public Administration from Seattle University. Before joining UAB in 2019, administrator of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Virginia Commonwealth University Health. Mary first served as the Executive Administrator of the UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, before transitioning to the Department of Surgery in 2023. 

“Mary's selection for the Dean's Excellence Award for Staff is truly well-deserved, reflecting her dedication to maintaining the Department of Surgery performing at its best. She provides vital support that strengthens the research and clinical efforts of our staff and faculty. Her role as an executive administrator significantly impacts our team's overall success, and we are grateful for her insight and leadership,” says Department of Surgery Fay Fletcher Kerner Endowed Chair Herbert Chen, M.D.

McDougal was recognized in a ceremony hosted by the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Dean’s Office that took place on September 30, 2025, at the Wallace Tumor Institute. 

About the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Dean's Excellence Award for Staff 

The Dean's Excellence Award for Staff is given to individuals who are dedicated to fostering a sense of belonging at UAB, promoting collaboration and team-based activities, advocating for others, and advancing innovative solutions for challenges encountered at UAB.