Yolanda Ogbolu

Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, is the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) and a Professor in Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice. She leads the School of Nursing Building and oversees strategic initiatives in global health equity, social determinants of health, and nursing education. Her academic roles include membership in the Global Health InterProfessional Council, Governance Council, and Nurses for Global Health, as well as chairing the Social Determinants of Health Taskforce.

Education:

• PhD in Global Health Disparities (University of Maryland Baltimore, 2011)
• MSN in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (Georgetown University, 1990)
• BSN from UMSON (2004) and AA in Nursing from Baltimore City Community College (1989)

Research Interests: Focuses on social determinants of health, health equity, global learning, neonatal disparities, and global-to-local innovation. She explores how global health strategies can address local challenges like social isolation and maternal-child health disparities in low-resource settings.

Awards:

• American Academy of Nursing Fellow (2017)
• National Academies of Practice Distinguished Fellow (2016)
• University of Maryland’s MLK Jr. Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award (2014)

Grants & Leadership: Principal Investigator of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded Family Social Inclusion: Learning from Brazil to Baltimore (2018–2022). Chair of the Social Determinants of Health Taskforce, advocating for multi-sector collaborations. Leads UMSON’s global health partnerships and interdisciplinary initiatives.

Labs/Teams: Directs the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research, advancing translational research in maternal-child health and global nursing practices. Collaborates with the West Baltimore RICH Collaborative to address health equity through community-based care.