WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (APRIL 26, 2022)—Pamela Alston Oliver, MD, MPH will offer the commencement address at Salem College’s commencement on Saturday, May 7 at 10 a.m. in the May Dell on the school’s campus. Dr. Oliver serves as executive vice president and president of the Novant Health Physician Network, where she is responsible for medical group operations, Care Connections, the Novant Health Clinically Integrated Network, as well as provider education, enrollment, and engagement efforts. She will also receive an honorary doctorate at the ceremony.

“We are honored that Dr. Oliver has agreed to speak at Salem College’s commencement,” Salem Academy and College President Summer Johnson McGee, PhD, CPH said. “With Salem’s new emphasis on health leadership, Dr. Oliver’s experience as a leading healthcare executive at Novant Health makes her the ideal person to inspire our graduates as they leave Salem embark on their next chapter. Moreover, her expertise in women’s health, gender identity, and diversity, equity, and inclusion make her our ideal commencement speaker.”

A board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Oliver has been practicing at Novant Health WomanCare since 2005. She has served Novant Health in various leadership roles, including as submarket leader for specialty practices in the greater Winston-Salem market, physician service line leader of women’s services for the greater Winston-Salem market, and senior physician executive for Novant Health Physician Network, supporting clinical and business strategy across the system. For this work, she was recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Business 2021 by the Triad Business Journal. She was also recognized by Modern Healthcare as a Top 25 Diversity Leader in the nation.

Dr. Oliver received her undergraduate degree in biology and her medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead Scholar and Board of Governors’ scholarship recipient. She also earned her master’s degree in public health (maternal and child health concentration) from the UNC School of Public Health while enrolled in medical school.

Dr. Oliver serves as chair for the Forsyth County Infant Mortality Reduction Coalition. She serves on the Morehead-Cain Scholarship Fund Board and has served on the Summit School board of trustees since 2015. Governor Roy Cooper, who recently spoke at Salem, appointed Dr. Oliver to serve on the State Health Coordinating committee and serves on the Boston-Thurmond Community Network, a community board engaged in community revitalization for the oldest African American neighborhood in Winston-Salem.

Dr. McGee said Salem College’s commencement is returning to its traditional location in the school’s May Dell, an outdoor amphitheater, after having been held off-campus for several years.  If case of severe weather, commencement will be moved indoors in the Hanes Auditorium in Salem’s Elberson Fine Arts Center.

About Salem Academy and College

Salem Academy and College, celebrating 250 years and built upon a foundation of empowering and preparing girls and women from all around the world to effect change, shatter expectations, and lead. Exclusively focused on developing tomorrow’s health leaders and change agents in STEAM fields and beyond.

Salem Academy and College is located in Winston Salem, North Carolina, a vibrant college town known for arts and innovation. For more information about Salem Academy, please visit salemacademy.com. For more information about Salem College, please visit salem.edu.