Wayne A. I. Frederick

Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA, FACS (B.S. ’92, M.D. ’94, MBA ’11) was appointed interim president of Howard University in September 2025. A proud Howard alumnus and accomplished surgeon, he also holds the title of president emeritus of Howard and the title of Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery at the Howard University College of Medicine, where he continues to care for cancer patients and mentor future physicians. 

Dr. Frederick previously led the American Cancer Society and its Cancer Action Network as interim CEO and served as Howard’s interim president (2013) and as the 17th president from 2014–2023. His leadership strengthened student success, expanded research, increased the University’s endowment to nearly $1 billion, and guided Howard’s return to Research One status. He also championed community-focused real estate projects that created affordable housing and jobs in Washington, D.C. The University’s Board of Trustees honored his impact by naming the Wayne A. I. Frederick Undergraduate Library in his name. 

Internationally recognized for advancing health equity, Dr. Frederick is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. He is widely published and has earned numerous honors, including the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Washingtonian of the Year, Carnegie Corporation’s “Great Immigrants, Great Americans” award, and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.’s 2025 Chairman’s Award. In November 2025, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington inducted him into the Washington Business Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Laureates.