I am the DREAM: the Past, Present, and Future – Awards Luncheon and Keynote Speaker Barbara Ross-Lee
I am the DREAM: the Past, Present, and Future – Awards Luncheon and Keynote Speaker Barbara Ross-Lee
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Keynote Presentation
Barbara Ross-Lee, DO served as Vice President for Health Sciences and Medical
Affairs (VPHSMA) at NYIT from 2001 until 2017. Additionally, during that time,
she served as interim Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine and interim
Dean of the School of Health Professions. In November 2014, Dr. Ross-Lee became
the Inaugural Dean for NYITCOM at A-State, where she also served as CEO of its
Academic Health Centers and President of its Faculty Practice Plan while
continuing service as VPHSMA of NYIT. Dr. Ross-Lee is a nationally recognized
expert on health policy issues and serves as an advisor on primary care, medical
education, minority health, women’s health, and rural health care issues on the
federal and state levels. She is the founding director of the AOA Health Policy
Fellowship Program, which prepares mid-career osteopathic physicians for
leadership roles in health care. Dr. Ross is also the Founding Director of the
Training in Policy Studies (TIPS) for osteopathic resident physicians, policy, and
research.
Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee is the first African American woman to serve as dean of a
United States medical school (Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic
Medicine, 1993 – 2001). She is also the first osteopathic physician to participate
in the Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowship. Dr. Ross-Lee served as a
commissioned officer, United States Naval Reserves Medical Corps, achieving the
rank of Captain. She lectures both nationally and internationally and has
published numerous scholarly articles on a variety of medical and healthcare
issues. She is the recipient of eight honorary degrees and many national awards.
Most recently, the ACGME Annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award was
named the Barbara Ross-Lee, DO DEI Award in her honor.
Dr. Ross-Lee has served as: President of the American Osteopathic Foundation
(AOF), Chair of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
(AACOM) Council of Presidents; Chair of the American Osteopathic Association
(AOA) Council on Pre-doctoral Education (pre-dating COCA); and Chair of the
Board of the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC). In 2012, Dr. Ross-
Lee was appointed by the Institute of Medicine to serve as a member of the
Consensus Committee on Governance which was responsible for recommending
reforms to the GME system. In February 2022, the Morgan State University Board
of Regents announced in a public session minutes that Dr. Ross-Lee had been
hired as president of the proposed Maryland College of Osteopathic Medicine at
Morgan State University.