Dr. Riddle-Jones accepted into prestigious Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program – School of Medicine News

Latonya Riddle-Jones, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, has been selected as a fellow in the 2026 Class of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® program at Drexel University College of Medicine.

ELAM is the nation’s premier leadership training program for women in academic medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy. Designed to prepare senior women faculty for executive-level positions, the program focuses on developing the professional and personal skills needed to lead and manage in today’s complex health care environment at the highest levels of academic health centers. Fellows are selected each year from a highly competitive pool of applicants across the United States and internationally who demonstrate the greatest potential for assuming executive leadership positions at academic health centers.

“I am honored to have been chosen to participate in the ELAM cohort for 2025-2026,” said Dr. Riddle-Jones, who is participating in the Executive Leadership in Healthcare component of the program. The ELH program is geared toward those in academic medicine but is more focused on the business side. “This is perfect because the work that I am doing here at WSU is a combination of academic and executive leadership.”

Participation in ELAM reflects both a personal leadership milestone and a strong institutional commitment to fostering excellence in academic medicine. The year-long fellowship began in June and concludes with a national capstone event in April 2026.

Dr. Riddle-Jones said many School of Medicine leaders, including Richard Baker, M.D., senior vice dean of Medical Education; Diane Levine, M.D., professor of Internal Medicine; Nakia Allen, M.D., Nakia Allen, M.D., associate professor of Pediatrics; and M. Safwan Badr, M.D., M.B.A., chair of Internal Medicine, encouraged her to apply for the program. “I was thrilled that our dean, Dr. Wael Sakr, M.D., recommended me for the program last fall.  His support was pivotal in this process. I would not have been chosen for this opportunity without the mentorship and sponsorship of these leaders at the School of Medicine.”

“Every opportunity that our faculty have for professional development helps our School of Medicine and WSU in our pursuit to serve the communities that we serve,” said. Dr. Riddle-Jones, who also serves as assistant director of Clinical Outreach at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. “I hope to use the tools, skills and knowledge that I gain over the next year to foster and enhance the service that we provide to our metropolitan Detroit communities and beyond to improve health care quality, accessibility and, ultimately, health outcomes for us all.”

For more information about ELAM, visit