Twelve members of the University of Michigan community recently were inducted into the National Academies of Practice as Distinguished Fellows during a ceremony in Indianapolis, as part of the Annual NAP Meeting and Forum.

The 12 new members bring the total number of U-M faculty members inducted to 28 since 2020. Additionally, Rajesh Mangrulkar, director of the U-M Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, will serve as the chair-elect of the Physicians Academy.

“The National Academies of Practice brings together 17 academies whose collective expertise reflects the many professions that shape health and care delivery,” Mangrulkar said. “As the chair-elect of the Physician Academy, I’m excited to work with each of them to deepen the collaboration that ultimately improves outcomes for patients and communities.”

Vani Patterson, administrative director of the U-M Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, will step into the role of chair for the Public Health Academy after serving as chair-elect last year.

“Interprofessional collaborative practice is inherently a public health effort as it is a systemic intervention to improve the quintuple aims of care,” Patterson said. “I am privileged to work alongside esteemed public health colleagues and with our clinical colleagues in the National Academies of Practice to transform health and well-being. We can do so much more together than we could ever do on our own.”

The Public Health Academy is the newest of NAP’s 17 academies, having launched last year.

The group of U-M inductees includes faculty and clinicians from the Ann Arbor and Flint campuses. The 2026 inductees and the NAP academy into which they were inducted are:

• Michael Brenner, associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, Medical School; Medicine Academy.
• Latoya Brown, clinical assistant professor of nursing, School of Nursing; Nursing Academy.
• Amy Buckenmeyer, clinical associate professor of nursing, School of Nursing; Public Health Academy.
• Denise Campbell, associate professor of nursing, UM-Flint; Nursing Academy.
• Darryl Conway, executive senior associate athletic director and chief health and welfare officer, Athletics; Athletic Training Academy.
• Denise Cooper, professor of nursing, UM-Flint; Nursing Academy.
• Karen Farris, senior associate dean, Charles R. Walgreen III Professor of Pharmacy Administration, and professor of social and administrative sciences, College of Pharmacy; Pharmacy Academy.
• Cornelius James, clinical assistant professor of internal medicine, of pediatrics, and of learning health sciences, Medical School; Medicine Academy.
• Adrienne Lapidos, clinical associate professor of psychiatry, Medical School; Psychology Academy.
• Martha McComas, clinical associate professor of dentistry, School of Dentistry; Oral Health Academy.
• Amy Thompson, clinical professor of pharmacy and director of community health and engagement, College of Pharmacy; Pharmacy Academy.
• Jillian Woodworth, clinical associate professor of occupational therapy, UM-Flint; Occupational Therapy Academy.

Founded in 1981, the National Academies of Practice advances interprofessional education, scholarship, research, practice and public policy. The NAP educates and informs members and others, facilitates collaborative scholarship and research opportunities, recruits, engages, retains, and mentors a network of members, and advocates 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.