Regina McClinton Named Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Effective September 1, 2022, Regina McClinton, PhD, will serve the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy as its first assistant dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Dr. McClinton is a certified diversity professional committed to helping others achieve their intercultural competence and inclusion goals.  She earned her PhD in plant biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and began her career teaching biology. She has a long track record of making a difference in inclusion and diversity and has served as the College’s Chief Diversity Officer since 2017.

“Our DEI efforts are key to everything we do, and Dr. McClinton has really brought our efforts to the next level,” says Vicki Ellingrod, PharmD, FCCP, FACNP, dean and John Gideon Searle Professor of Pharmacy.

“I am truly honored to serve the College in this new role. Most DEI leads do not have a defined career path, so I will not be surprised if additional units put a new focus on their DEI efforts by moving their non-faculty DEI leads into assistant dean positions,” notes Dr. McClinton. “Being promoted to assistant dean communicates the College’s commitment to DEI and the work required to not only be diverse, but also equitable and inclusive in all we do. It conveys that the College will view its work and how it leads through a DEI lens.”

The timing of Dr. McClinton’s new role aligns with the start of College and University-level DEI focused initiatives, including DEI 2.0 – the University’s next iteration of DEI strategic planning, and Pharmacy’s next College-wide strategic plan.

“In addition to working on the next strategic plan, my goals include addressing climate issues in the College, supporting the culture change in how we do work, and finding additional ways we can diversify the faculty,” adds Dr. McClinton. “We want to better engage alumni of color and ensure that our students from minoritized groups know and feel that they are supported by all in the College. The College of Pharmacy is already seen as a leader in DEI among pharmacy schools. We’ve worked hard to be seen as such, and we will have to continue working with intentionality and intensity to remain so.”

Dr. McClinton was the founder and director of the Institute for Intercultural Teaching and Learning (IITL) and the Intercultural Training Certificate, ITC, both at Grand Valley State University. Dr. McClinton has served as a member and president of the Minority Affairs Committee for the American Society for Plant Biology, the Diversity Committee of Sigma Xi, The Research Society, and has been a leader in inclusion and diversity efforts at UC Berkeley, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Grand Valley State University, and among national pharmacy schools. She served on the executive board of The African Resource Center and was a member of the advisory board of the Bhutanese Organization of West Michigan.