Seven members of the University of Michigan community were inducted into the National Academies of Practice (NAP) as Distinguished Fellows in a ceremony held on March 15, 2025 in Washington, D.C., as part of the Annual NAP Meeting and Forum.
This year also marked a significant milestone with the launch of NAP’s 17th academy—the Public Health Academy. Neil Maniar, of Northeastern University, serves as the Academy Chair, while Vani Patterson, Administrative Director of the Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education, steps into the role of Chair-Elect. Both of them spent the past year leading the creation of this academy, highlighting the expanding role of public health in interprofessional collaboration and policy.
The full group of U-M inductees includes faculty and clinicians from the University of Michigan, UM-Flint, and UM-Dearborn. The Class of 2025 are:
- Olivia Anderson, Public Health Academy (U-M)
- Lenette Jones, Nursing Academy (U-M)
- Erin Khang, Social Work Academy (U-M)
- Lisa Martin, Public Health Academy (UM-Dearborn)
- Vani Patterson, Public Health Academy (U-M)
- Suzanne Trojanowki, Physical Therapy Academy (UM-Flint)
- Carman Turkelson, Nursing Academy (UM-Flint)
Founded in 1981, the National Academies of Practice advances interprofessional education, scholarship, research, practice, and public policy. We educate and inform our members and others, facilitate collaborative scholarship and research opportunities, recruit, engage, retain, and mentor our network of members, and advocate the value of interprofessional practice and improve healthcare and policy for all.
The NAP Academies include Athletic Training, Audiology, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Oral Health, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician, Podiatric Medicine, Psychology, Public Health, Respiratory Care, Social Work, Speech-Language Pathology, and Veterinary Medicine.
Membership in the National Academies of Practice is an honor extended to those who have excelled in their profession and are dedicated to advancing interprofessional education, scholarship, research, practice, and policy in support of interprofessional care. As the alliance of professionals collaborating to transform health and well-being, we are excited to officially welcome the new Class of 2025 inductees.
For more information on the National Academies of Practice, please visit www.napractice.org