Dr. Aron Sousa Appointed President and CEO

Rosalind Franklin University announces the appointment of its next president and CEO, Aron Sousa, MD, FACP, effective Nov. 10, 2025. Dr. Sousa is nationally regarded for his leadership in community-based medical education, his advancement of public health research, and his contributions to strengthening the role of academic medicine in serving society.

“I am honored to join Rosalind Franklin University at this moment of growth and possibility, and to work together toward sanative communities and a stronger future,” Dr. Sousa said. “The university has a strong tradition of innovation in health professions education and research. Together, with our faculty, students and partners, we can build on this tradition to help address the pressing health challenges facing our communities and our nation.”

Dr. Sousa is the current Dean of the College of Human Medicine (CHM) at Michigan State University (MSU), one of the nation’s foremost community-based medical schools. Throughout his 30-year career at MSU, he has led transformative initiatives in medical education, research and community health, building partnerships that deliver lasting impact. Under his leadership, the college expanded its clinical and community campuses across Michigan — shaping access to medical education statewide — and strengthening partnerships with health systems, communities and local leaders to better prepare clinicians while improving community health.

In an announcement to the university, Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Susan Miller and Trustee and Presidential Search Committee Chair Dr. Lee Sacks cited Dr. Sousa’s distinguished record of academic leadership, his deep commitment to community health, and his ability to bring together communities, health systems, and universities to improve health outcomes.

“Dr. Sousa’s career reflects the values of Rosalind Franklin University, including innovation, interprofessional collaboration, and a commitment to serving communities,” Dr. Sacks said. “He has demonstrated how universities can work hand-in-hand with health systems, community leaders, and research partners to improve health outcomes and prepare the next generation of healthcare leaders.”

A practicing general internist who helps train students and residents in clinical settings, Dr. Sousa also serves as MSU Executive Dean for Health Sciences, fostering collaborations and clinical partnerships across the university’s colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine and Nursing.

Dr. Sousa’s most transformative project has been the public health initiatives in Flint, Michigan. He was principal investigator on $37 million in grants from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to establish a downtown campus, expand public health research, and ultimately create the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, which has brought in more than $200 million in external funding to the community. The Flint expansion has advanced critical research on mental health, poverty, nutrition, and the effects of lead exposure in children during the city’s 2014-2016 water crisis.

Dr. Sousa succeeds retiring President and CEO Dr. Wendy Rheault — the first woman to serve in the office — who leaves the university in a position of strength, ready for its next chapter of growth and innovation.

A Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Sousa earned his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, before completing his residency, chief residency and fellowship in primary care internal medicine at MSU.