Division of Campus Life

Dr. Patricia “Pat” Poitevien serves as Vice President for Campus Life at Brown University, leading a division of more than 20 departments, offices and centers that support undergraduate, graduate and medical students.

Appointed in June 2025, Poitevien works across academic and administrative areas to strengthen the living-learning environment around Brown’s students. Her leadership focuses on helping students engage fully with the Open Curriculum, strengthening coordinated systems of support, fostering belonging and connection, and preparing students to lead lives of usefulness and reputation. She is a member of the President’s Cabinet and works with University leaders and the Corporation of Brown University to advance student success and well-being.

Poitevien is a board-certified pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics at the Warren Alpert Medical School. Since returning to Brown in 2018, she has held several leadership roles, including senior associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion in the Division of Biology and Medicine and interim vice president for Brown’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

In these roles, she led efforts to strengthen academic and clinical environments, supported students across multiple stages of their education and served as a liaison among students, University offices and clinical partners. 

A national leader in graduate medical education, Poitevien spent nearly a decade as a residency program director, serving first at the Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone and later at Brown University Health Hasbro Children’s Hospital. She made history as the first African-American President of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD), and continues to serve APPD as a volunteer on several advisory committees. She chairs the American Board of Pediatrics Committee on Competency Based Medical Education and is an elected member of both the National Academy of Distinguished Educators in Pediatrics and the American Pediatric Society.

Dr. Poitevien is a proud alumna of Brown’s Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) and maintains a deep connection to the Brown ethos and student experience. Her leadership is rooted in empathy, belonging, and a belief in the transformative power of education. She works across academic and administrative boundaries to ensure that all students are empowered to thrive—academically, socially, and personally.

Education

A.B., French Literature, Brown University
M.D., Brown University, Program in Liberal Medical Education
M.S., Clinical Investigation, New York University School of Medicine

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Meetings available by appointment. Contact Laurinda Grasso, executive assistant, at 401-863-1800 or laurinda_grasso@brown.edu.