Wake Forest University School of Medicine today announced Dr. L. Ebony Boulware, as its new dean. She will also serve as vice chief academic officer and chief science officer of Atrium Health. Boulware will join the medical school in January 2023 and will succeed Dr. Julie Ann Freischlag, who remains as CEO of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and chief academic officer of Atrium Health.
As dean and chief science officer, Boulware will lead all aspects of the medical school, including programs to advance the clinical, research, education, innovation and community engagement missions.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Boulware to Wake Forest University,” said Susan R. Wente, president of Wake Forest University. “She is an outstanding physician, a pioneer of public health equity, and will be a truly inspiring dean of our medical school.”
“She joins the university at a time when we celebrate the 120th anniversary of our School of Medicine and as we look to the future — specifically to 2034, when Wake Forest will enter its third century,” Wente added. “As we strive to embody inclusive excellence in all we do and live out our pro humanitate motto we will be stronger for Dr. Boulware’s leadership, advocacy and partnership.”
Boulware joins the organization at a historic time as Wake Forest University School of Medicine is growing as the academic core of Atrium Health, expanding its model to support a new campus in Charlotte and continuing its role as a key school of Wake Forest University.
“Among her many inspiring accomplishments, Dr. Boulware is an international leader in studying health equity who is passionate about improving health for underrepresented minorities, especially those suffering with chronic disease,” Freischlag said.
“Her groundbreaking work to develop successful interventions, raise physician awareness and change clinical practice will benefit our medical school, our health system and our community as we seek to accelerate learning and discovery by advancing the science of medicine to better care for our patients,” Freischlag added. “Dr. Boulware also brings with her an energy and determination that will be integral as we continue to grow as an inclusive organization and educate the next generation of health care leaders.”
Boulware most recently directed the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute, in Durham, North Carolina, as vice dean for translational science and associate vice chancellor for translational research at Duke University. She was also a distinguished professor of medicine and served as chief of the division of general internal medicine in the department of medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine.
“I am deeply honored and thrilled to join Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Atrium Health at this transformational time to advance a vision for improving health and health equity through our educational, research and clinical missions,” Boulware said.
Her research has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute and other organizations throughout her career. She has published more than 200 manuscripts, book chapters and editorials and has mentored numerous students, residents, fellows and faculty members. She is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
“Dr. Boulware brings the type of transformative leadership that will propel us to be the model for academic learning health systems across the nation,” said Eugene A. Woods, president and CEO of Atrium Health. “Her depth of experience and commitment to health equity, translational research and clinical excellence will help guide our vision of educating and training the next generation of caregivers, leaders and innovators.”
Boulware received her bachelor’s degree in English from Vassar College and her medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. She completed her residency and chief residency at the University of Maryland prior to completing a research fellowship in general internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University, where she earned a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Freischlag’s role as chief academic officer of Atrium Health includes leading the newly formed Health Sciences System, which includes Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Atrium Health Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, Atrium Health Carolinas College of Health Sciences and clinical training programs that include nearly 1,500 residents and fellows.
Media contact: Joe McCloskey, jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu