After an extensive national search, Kelechi “K.C.” Ogbonna, Pharm.D., M.S.H.A., was named dean of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy in December 2022 having served as interim dean since June 2022. VCU School of Pharmacy is the only public School of Pharmacy in the Commonwealth and ranked in the Top 20 of Schools of Pharmacy nationwide. Prior to that appointment, he served as associate dean of admissions and student services at the School of Pharmacy, overseeing recruitment and student support for the Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Dr. Ogbonna has a fantastic record of innovation and delivering results for students, patients, faculty and staff. As a pharmacist and educator, Dr. Ogbonna has focused on connecting communities with health care, improving health disparities and expanding access to the health professions. As the pharmacy school’s head of admissions and student services, his innovative approaches strengthened student outcomes and expanded student success services, while the school hit historic highs for on-time graduation rates.

Dr. Ogbonna has received VCU’s Riese-Melton Award, the 10 Under 10 Award from the Virginia Pharmacists Association, the President’s Award from the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, and the Black History in the Making Award from VCU’s department of health administration.

Dr. Ogbonna was a pre-pharmacy/chemistry major at Fairleigh Dickinson University and earned his Pharm.D. at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and a Master’s in Health Administration from VCU. He completed his PGY-1 general pharmacy practice residency and PGY-2 geriatric pharmacy residency within the Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven, Connecticut where he focused on older adult populations post combat. He joined VCU School of Pharmacy in 2012 as an assistant professor, teaching geriatrics and helping to create the Richmond Health and Wellness Program, the precursor to the VCU Health Hub at 25th. Dr. Ogbonna was also founding director of the school’s postgraduate geriatric residency program. He currently holds the rank of professor at VCU.