Associate Dean Ramona Benkert has been appointed Interim Dean of the College of Nursing. She accepted this role as Dr. Laurie M. Lauzon Clabo was appointed Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs of Wayne State University; both appointments were effective August 21, 2020.

Dr. Benkert is an exceptional leader who has served the College of Nursing as associate dean for academic and clinical affairs since 2014. She is widely known and respected across campus for her collaborative and interprofessional approach to leadership. Of particular significance, she serves as Co-PI in the Michigan Area Health Education Center (MI-AHEC), the only AHEC in the country jointly awarded to a medical school and a college of nursing. 

Moreover, Dr. Benkert has 29 years of clinical experience as an adult nurse practitioner. Her research interests include quality outcomes in primary care delivery, perceptions of racism and mistrust in health care, and provider-patient relationships. Her work has been widely published in premier professional journals including Research in Nursing and Health, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and Journal of Nursing Education.

In a recent announcement to the campus community, Interim Provost Clabo said, “I have worked closely with Dr. Benkert for the last five years, and I have complete confidence that she possesses the requisite skills and abilities to lead the College of Nursing with a steady hand and a generous spirit. Her commitment to both nursing education and the profession is inspiring, and I know she will continue to advance the mission of the College of Nursing and serve as an effective leader within the college and across campus.”   

Dr. Benkert received her BSN from Mercy College of Detroit, her MSN from Wayne State University and her PhD from the University of Michigan. She is a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.