Meet the Speaker

Dr. Rhae Ann Booker, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Michigan Health-West 

Dr. Booker is a passionate advocate for comprehensive, data-driven and ongoing strategies for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She is an experienced executive with a track record of initiatives that support organizational goals and individual success for marginalized populations, including design and implementation of Davenport University’s first university-wide DEI Strategic Plan. Booker is an advocate for health equity who helped initiate Davenport’s collaboration with Grand Rapids African American Health Institute and other community organizations. Additionally, she helped develop policies and partnerships at Calvin College that resulted in increased enrollment, retention and graduation rates for underrepresented populations.

Dr. Booker has received multiple national and regional recognitions. A lifelong Grand Rapids resident with extensive community involvement; she currently serves on the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative Program Committee and on the board of directors for the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan.