Marita Gilbert, PhD

Dr. Marita Gilbert joins Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine as the Associate Dean of Osteopathic Engagement & Community Practice. 

Gilbert has dedicated her life to advocacy for all, including the most marginalized and vulnerable populations, through leadership, scholarship, and practice. Her passion for transforming communities and institutions has guided over twenty years of progressive experience in higher education, serving in faculty and administrative roles, ranging from athletics to senior leadership. 

As the Associate Dean of Osteopathic Engagement & Community Practice, Gilbert works across the College and its affiliated institutions to advance MSUCOM’s initiatives and mission, guided by osteopathic principles and practice. She serves as a member of the dean's advisory board and the college's executive staff. As such, she oversees efforts on all three campuses to ensure all members of the college feel included, and works directly with the Dean over areas of college climate, including faculty mentoring in the areas of leadership excellence, oversight of elections for college and university committees, advising the College Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure (RPT) process, and developing cohesive and visible community partnerships and engaging in local outreach efforts. 

Gilbert is a native of New Orleans, La., and is proud to call it home—wherever she finds herself. Its rich and nuanced cultural heritage is the lens through which she understands and implements inclusive practice. She earned a BA in Mass Communications from Auburn University and a Ph.D. in Kinesiology with concentrations in the Sociology of Sport and College Teaching and Learning, as well as a specialization in Black Feminism, from Michigan State University.