Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick was appointed the 17th president of Howard University in 2014 and was named the distinguished Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery by the Board of Trustees in 2020. He previously served in numerous capacities within the University, including provost and chief academic officer. Today, he continues to perform in the operating room and teach in the classroom.  
 
As president, Dr. Frederick has advanced Howard University’s commitment to student opportunity, academic innovation, public service and fiscal stability. He has also pursued initiatives to streamline and strengthen University operations. In addition, he has overseen a series of reform efforts, including the expansion of academic offerings, establishing innovative programs to support student success and the modernization of University facilities.  
 
Dr. Frederick matriculated to Howard in 1988 to pursue a B.S./M.D. dual degree program. He completed the requirements for both degrees in six years, allowing him to earn his Bachelor of Science degree and his medical degree by the age of 22. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Howard University’s School of Business in 2011.  
 
Dr. Frederick is a widely recognized expert on disparities in health care and medical education. His medical research focuses on narrowing racial, ethnic and gender disparities in cancer care outcomes, especially in relation to gastrointestinal cancers. He also devotes his time to writing and speaking on salient topics in higher education and the underrepresentation of African-Americans in health care.  
 
Dr. Frederick has received various awards honoring his scholarship, service and community impact, including the Educator Award by the Lowell F. Hawthorne Foundation, Inc.; the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; and the Diaspora Public Diplomacy Leadership Award by the Embassy of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. In March 2022, Dr. Frederick received Trinidad and Tobago’s highest honor, The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT).  
 
Dr. Frederick also serves on numerous boards and committees. He was appointed to the board of directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Cancer Society as well as Humana Inc. and Insulet Corporation. Dr. Frederick is a member of surgical and medical associations, including the American Surgical Association and the American College of Surgeons. In January 2017, the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors elected Dr. Frederick to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.