Program Director

Program Leadership Spotlight: Dr. Ikenna Okereke

“My main goal is to show students that they have the ability to succeed in whatever field they want. My saying is that ‘if you can see it, you can be it.’ I simply want to provide the students with role models and expose them to life as a professional.”

Dr. Ikenna Okereke is a distinguished thoracic surgeon and the Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery and Director of Thoracic Surgery at Henry Ford Health. A native Detroiter, he completed his medical degree at Washington University in St. Louis, surgical residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and thoracic surgery fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He is board-certified in thoracic surgery and has been repeatedly recognized for his clinical expertise and leadership in minimally invasive surgical care.

Dr. Okereke has a long-standing commitment to mentorship and community engagement. In 2016, he launched a mentorship initiative for underrepresented high school students in Texas, and he has continued and expanded this work in Detroit, believing deeply that exposure, representation, and opportunity can shape young lives.

As the Program Director of the High School Mentorship Program, Dr. Okereke leads its mission to introduce students to medical and healthcare careers through early exposure, hands-on learning, and professional mentorship. He is driven by the philosophy that “if you can see it, you can be it,” and works to ensure students from diverse backgrounds receive real-world insight, encouragement, and clarity about their future paths. Under his guidance, many students have gained confidence, discovered new possibilities, and been inspired to pursue rigorous academic and career goals in medicine.

Dr. Okereke also founded the Okereke Foundation in 2013 to extend care and educational support to communities in need and continues research on healthcare disparities and outcomes. His leadership, both in the clinical realm and in youth mentorship, reflects a lifelong dedication to service, equity, and excellence.