Denise V. Rodgers, MD, FAAFP is Vice Chancellor of Interprofessional Programs at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, overseeing the training of health professions students to work as highly effective members of healthcare teams. She is also the RBHS Chair in Interprofessional Education at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School where she is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. Prior to these appointments, Dr. Rodgers served as the fifth and final president of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) from January 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. From 2006 to 2013, Dr. Rodgers led UMDNJ’s academic and clinical operations as Executive Vice President. She served as UMDNJ Chief of Staff from 2005 to 2006. From 1997 to 2005, Dr. Rodgers was Senior Associate Dean for Community Health at the UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Rodgers has spent much of her career working with poor, minority and disadvantaged patients and communities. She currently chairs the steering committee for the Believe in a Healthy Newark culture of health initiative that is funded by United Way of Greater Newark. She chairs the board of directors of the Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition and the Greater Newark Regional Population Health Hub.  Dr. Rodgers also chairs the Newark Homelessness Commission.