SALT LAKE CITY-Friday, University of Utah president Taylor Randall announced Andrea Thomas, the assistant dean of undergraduate studies at the university’s David Eccles School of Business, as the UofU’s chief experience offer.

In this new role, Thomas will tasked with overseeing multidisciplinary teams of designers, data experts and other professionals.

She and her team, Randall continued, are expected to make recommendations for strategic changes at the university to help students excel.

Thomas has extensive experience in the corporate world as she has previously worked at Walmart, Hershey Co., PepsiCo, Frito-Lay and Pizza Hut.

She graduated from the UofU and has also received an MBA from BYU and an Ed. D. in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.