Angela L. Walker Franklin, PhD, president and CEO of Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences, has been named a recipient of Insight Into Academia Magazine’s 2026 Trailblazer in Higher Education Award.
This national honor recognizes higher education leaders whose bold, strategic innovation advances institutional excellence, strengthens community and belonging and delivers measurable impact for students, employees and the broader academic ecosystem.
Franklin will be featured alongside 17 other distinguished honorees in the March 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia Magazine.
“Dr. Franklin is the definition of a trailblazer,” says Sally K. Mason, PhD, chair of DMU’s Board of Trustees, who nominated Franklin for the award. “She leads with vision, courage and accountability, and she has transformed DMU in ways that will benefit students, educators and communities for generations. Her leadership shows what’s possible when innovation, belonging and academic rigor are inseparable.”
Insight Into Academia selected Franklin for the award for her bold redefinition of what a modern medical and health sciences university can be. Since joining DMU in 2011, she has led the institution through its largest expansion in history, including the development and opening of a new, state-of-the-art 88-acre campus in West Des Moines, Iowa. Built during the global pandemic and completed on time and on budget, the campus is designed to foster interprofessional education, wellness and community connection.
Beyond physical growth, Franklin has embedded cultural competency across curriculum, clinical training and employee development. Under her leadership, the university has also expanded academic offerings, including the addition of a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences. In addition, DMU has established the Des Moines University Regional Simulation Center as a hub for immersive, workforce-focused education.
Franklin’s leadership has produced significant measurable outcomes, including the expansion of the research infrastructure and a philanthropic campaign that raised more than $51 million to support scholarships, faculty development and institutional growth. DMU also has earned repeated national recognition as a top producer of primary care physicians and as a Great College to Work For.
“We believe the future of higher education depends on leaders who are willing to challenge convention and embrace bold, impactful innovation,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of the magazine. “The 2026 Trailblazer honorees represent the highest levels of strategic leadership in the field, and we are proud to celebrate their accomplishments.”
For more information about the Trailblazer in Higher Education Award, visit insightintoacademia.com.