WSUAA Board Vice President Robert Reaves '11, M.B.A. '15
The work that Robert Reaves does each day has a direct impact on 1,200 medical students, six hospital affiliates and health outcomes in Detroit - the city where he was born and raised.
A two-time graduate of Wayne State with a bachelor of arts in public relations ('11) and an M.B.A. in management ('15), Reaves moved from the classroom to the boardroom with finesse. Currently serving as director of accreditation for the School of Medicine, he began his term as vice president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors in October 2019, after having joined the board the year before.
"Since my earliest days as a student, I've always given back to WSU because WSU has given me so much," Reaves says. "After successfully serving on nonprofit boards, I knew I could meaningfully contribute to the Alumni Association Board of Directors and bring a valuable recent-grad perspective."
Since beginning his work with the School of Medicine in 2016, Reaves has collaborated with top leaders to develop and execute strategies to drive operational improvements, educational quality, and institutional effectiveness. Working with the school's vice dean of medical education and the assistant dean of continuous quality improvement, he helped launch the Office of Assessment, Accreditation, and Continuous Improvement to support ongoing compliance and data-driven decision making.
In addition to his efforts on behalf of the university, Reaves is a results-oriented community leader. He is currently an ambassador to the Michigan Opera Theatre and a board member of Ronald McDonald House Charities Detroit. His volunteer work involves fundraising, strategic planning, and community outreach to help provide disadvantaged youth with access to cultural arts as well as provide housing to families with sick children receiving treatment at local hospitals.
Reaves has recently been honored with a number of awards, including last year's Homer D. Strong Award, presented by the Alumni Association in recognition of alumni participation and volunteer leadership. Also in 2019, he was recognized among the Crain's 20 in their 20s and DBusiness 30 in their 30s luminaries.
"I'm looking forward to spending my remaining board term fostering meaningful connections to Wayne State," says Reaves. "We will continue our focus on engaging alumni at every life stage, here in Detroit and across the country."