Ramona Benkert, Dean and Professor, Wayne State University College of Nursing, conducts research focused on explicating the role of medical mistrust, racial identity and cultural competence on adherence to primary care recommendations and quality of care. Her research has focused on the role of nurse practitioners and other primary care providers in nurse managed and traditional primary care settings. Dr. Benkert has received numerous Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grants, and he is currently the principal investigator (PI) for the statewide Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in Michigan with 14 continues years of funding. Dr. Benkert has over 50 publications and she is a journal reviewer for multiple nursing, medical and public health journals. She is a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner with over 37 years of experience. She currently volunteers once a month at the St. Francis Cabrini clinic for the uninsured. Dr. Benkert received her BSN from the University of Detroit Mercy, her MSN from Wayne State University and her PhD from the University of Michigan. She is also a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.