DETROIT – After consultation with the faculty of the College of Nursing, Wayne State University is proud to announce the appointment of Ramona Benkert, Ph.D., ANP-BC, FAANP, as dean of the College of Nursing pending final approval from the Board of Governors at its June 26 meeting. She will serve for a fixed term through July 31, 2026.

Dr. Benkert has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout her tenure at Wayne State, including serving as acting dean since November 2023. She previously served as interim dean from August 2020 to July 2022, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has served as associate dean for academic and clinical affairs since 2014. She has earned widespread recognition among colleagues for her collaborative and interprofessional leadership.

With 36 years of clinical experience as an adult nurse practitioner, Dr. Benkert brings a wealth of expertise to this role. Her research focuses on quality outcomes in primary care delivery, perceptions of racism and mistrust in health care, and provider-patient relationships, and has been extensively published in premier professional journals.

Dr. Benkert earned her B.S.N. from Mercy College of Detroit, her M.S.N. from Wayne State and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. She is also a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

“Throughout nearly a decade of close collaboration with Dr. Benkert, I have witnessed her unwavering dedication to nursing education, our students and Wayne State University,” said Laurie M. Lauzon Clabo, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “I have full confidence in her ability to lead the College of Nursing with integrity and vision, advance its mission, empower health for our urban neighborhoods, and serve as an effective leader both within the college and across our campus.”