Michael Relf Named Dean of School of Nursing

Leader in nursing education and practice has served as interim dean since 2023

Michael Relf
Michael Relf has been a member of the Duke faculty since 2008.

Michael V. Relf has been appointed dean of the Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) effective May 1, Provost Alec D. Gallimore announced today.

Relf, the Mary T. Champagne Distinguished Professor of Nursing and a research professor in the Duke Global Health Institute, has served as interim dean since 2023. He will continue in his role as associate chief nurse executive for academic innovation and partnership for the Duke University Health System.

“I congratulate Dr. Michael Relf on his appointment as dean of the Duke University School of Nursing,” Gallimore said. “Michael has an exemplary record of leadership in nursing education, research and clinical practice and an intimate understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead for DUSON. As interim dean, he has led with transparency, empathy and a commitment to excellence, earning the trust of the school and the university. I look forward to our continued partnership and a bright future for nursing at Duke.”

Relf joined DUSON in 2008 as assistant dean for undergraduate education and director of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, and he served as associate dean for global and community health initiatives from 2014 to 2023.

“I am honored to be appointed the next dean of the Duke University School of Nursing,” Relf said. “DUSON is a vibrant and passionate community committed to addressing some of the most challenging issues related to health equity. Helping the DUSON community foster innovation and achieve its collective ‘outrageous ambitions’ is an honor. I am eager to continue working alongside our exceptional students, staff, faculty and alumni to further our mission to advance health equity through transformative academic excellence, clinical practice and nursing science.”

Relf is a globally recognized expert on the psychosocial aspects of HIV, particularly focusing on intimate partner violence, HIV-related stigma and interventions to promote engagement in HIV-oriented primary medical care.

As a co-investigator on a President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-funded project to build nursing capacity in the context of HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa, and in collaboration with colleagues from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe, Relf published The Essential Nursing Competencies Related to HIV and AIDS. These competencies were endorsed by the International Council of Nurses, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, and they helped nurses initiate and manage antiretroviral therapy among persons with HIV in limited-resource settings.

Relf has also tested the efficacy of an internalized stigma reduction intervention among women living with HIV in the United States and adapted this intervention to the culture and context of Rwanda and Tanzania. He and his collaborators at RTI International and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania, recently completed a clinical trial testing the adapted stigma intervention among women with HIV in Tanzania.

Prior to joining Duke, Relf was the chair of the Department of Nursing at Georgetown University and associate medical administrator/director of nursing and clinical support services at Whitman-Walker Clinic in Washington. He has been a visiting professor at Queen University Belfast, the University of Zululand in South Africa and Fudan University in China, where he was appointed a university consulting professor in July 2023. He is editor emeritus of the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care and a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Academy of Nursing Education.

A first generation high-school graduate and college student, Relf earned a B.S. with a major in nursing from South Dakota State University, an M.S. in nursing administration in health care services from Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. in nursing from Johns Hopkins University. He is an advanced HIV/AIDS certified registered nurse and certified nurse educator.

Relf was selected following a national search chaired by Tonia Poteat, professor of nursing and global health, and conducted by a committee that included faculty, staff, student and alumni representatives and input from across the school and university.

“I am pleased that Michael Relf has been selected as the next dean of the Duke University School of Nursing,” Poteat said. “Michael’s dedication to the school, success as interim dean and commitment to open and honest leadership stood out in a field of highly qualified candidates. At a critical moment for both higher education and health care, he is an excellent choice to lead DUSON forward.”

Duke University School of Nursing is a globally recognized leader in nursing education, research and clinical practice. Established in 1931, the school is committed to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes through innovative education, clinical practice and nursing science. The school offers a range of programs, including a Master of Nursing (M.N.), Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) and Ph.D. in Nursing, all designed to prepare the next generation of nursing leaders and innovators. With an inclusive community, state-of-the-art facilities and a strong emphasis on interprofessional collaboration, the school is dedicated to shaping the future of nursing and health care.

Relf succeeds Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, who stepped down in October 2023 to become executive director of the Institute for Policy Solutions at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.