Keynote Speakers

See below for an archive of WesternU’s Commencement ceremony keynote speakers from 1982 – 2023.

2023
May 17
  • College of Podiatric Medicine and College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Gary Hall, Jr.

  • Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences & College of Health Sciences

Deborah Deas, MD, MPH

May 18
  • College of Dental Medicine & College of Pharmacy

Nader A. Nadershahi, DDS, MBA, EdD

  • College of Graduate Nursing & College of Optometry

John T. Chapman, FACHE

May 19
  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Liz Mossop, BVM&S, MMedSci(Clin Ed), PhD, MAcadMEd, FRCVS

May 26
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest

Catherine Mater

2022
May 18-19
  • All Colleges

Robin Farias-Eisner MD, PhD, MBA

May 20
  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Michael J Blackwell DVM, MPH

May 27
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest

Robin Farias-Eisner MD, PhD, MBA

2021
May 17-21
  • All Colleges

David M. Carlisle, MD, PhD

2020
May 15
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Gene Barduson, LHD

May 29
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest

Gene Barduson, LHD

2019
May 22 – 24
  • Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences and College of Health Sciences

Christopher J.L. Murray, MD, DPhil, Professor, IHME Director, Chair, Department of Health Metrics Sciences

  • College of Pharmacy and College of Dental Medicine

Robert S. Pugliese, PharmD

  • College of Optometry and College of Graduate Nursing

Melvin D. Shipp, OD, MPH, DRPH

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Temple Grandin

  • College of Podiatric Medicine and College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Habib Sadeghi, DO, FACEMIP

May 31
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest

Governor Barbara Roberts

2018
May 23 – 25
  • College of Dental Medicine and College of Pharmacy

Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and CEO, Henry Schein Inc.

  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Podiatric Medicine

Richard Pitts, DO, PhD, Vice President, Clinically Integrated Networks and Senior Medical Director, Saint Joseph Heritage Healthcare

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and CEO, Henry Schein Inc.

  • College of Graduate Nursing and College of Optometry

Daniel Weberg, PhD, BSN, Senior Director, Innovations and Leadership, National Patient Care Services, Kaiser Permanente

  • Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences and College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Howard J. Federoff, PhD, MD, Professor of Neurology, University of California, Irvine

June 1
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest

David A. Connett, DO ’84

2017
May 17 – 19
  • College of Podiatric Medicine and College of Allied Health Professions

William E. Simon, Jr., JD

  • College of Pharmacy and College of Dental Medicine

Rear Admiral Pamela M. Schweitzer, PharmD

  • College of Optometry and College of Graduate Nursing

Jacob Green, MPA

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Justine Lee, DVM

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences

Clinton E. Adams, DO

June 2
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest

Adrienne White-Faines, LHD (Hon.), MPA

2016
May 18 – 20
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Podiatric Medicine

Wm. Jahmal Miller, MHA

  • College of Dental Medicine and College of Pharmacy

Carol Gomez Summerhays, DDS

  • College of Graduate Nursing and College of Optometry

Nicholas Webb

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Cathy King, PhD, DVM, MS

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences

David S. Bredt, MD, PhD

June 3
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest

Lori Sobelson, LHD (Hon.), BA

2015
May 20 – 22
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Podiatric Medicine

California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom

  • College of Pharmacy and College of Dental Medicine

Patricia Chase, PhD

  • College of Optometry and College of Graduate Nursing

Devorah A. Lieberman, PhD

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Clinton A. Lewis, Jr., MBA

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences

Vice Admiral Matthew L. Nathan

June 5
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest

Jeff Heatherington, LHD (Hon.)

Larry A. Mullins, DHA,  LHD (Hon.)

2014
May 14 – 16
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Podiatric Medicine

The Honorable Hilda L. Solis

  • College of Dental Medicine and College of Pharmacy

Leo E. Rouse, DDS

  • College of Graduate Nursing and College of Optometry

Howard A. Kahn, MPA

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, MD

  • Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences and College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Norman E. Vinn, DO, MBA

2013
May 15 – 17
  • College of Pharmacy

Janelle L. Sobotka, PharmD

  • College of Dental Medicine, College of Optometry and College of Podiatric Medicine

Edward James Olmos

  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Jason Hwang, MD, MBA

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Kevin Fitzgerald, DVM, PhD

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences

Jason Hwang, MD, MBA

2012
May 17 – 18
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Devorah A. Lieberman, PhD

  • College of Pharmacy

Michael S. Maddux, PharmD

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences

H. Roger Hadley, MD

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Temple Grandin, PhD, LHD (Hon.)

2011
May 19 – 20
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Senator Ed Hernandez, OD

  • College of Pharmacy

William A. Zellmer, BSPharm, MPH

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences

John B. Crosby, JD

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Nicholas Trout, MA, VETMB

2010
May 20 – 21
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Senator Joseph Dunn

  • College of Pharmacy

Alan T. Kiyohara, PharmD

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Larry A. Wickless, DO

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Kevin Fitzgerald, DVM, PhD

2009
May 14 – 15
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Richard A. Bond, DO ’82, DrPh, FAAFP

  • College of Pharmacy

Lucinda Maine, PhD

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

William G. Anderson, DO

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Marty Becker, DVM

2008
May 15 – 16
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Bruce Hensel, MD

  • College of Pharmacy

Herb K. Schultz, BS, MPP

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Larry A. Mullins, DHA

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Patricia Olson, DVM, PhD

2007
May 10 – 11
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Stephen C. Crane, PhD, MPH

  • College of Pharmacy

The Honorable Mervyn M. Dymally, MA, PhD

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Joyce M. Johnson, DO, MA

  • College of Veterinary Medicine

Betty White

2006
May 11 – 12
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Clinton Adams, DO, MPA, RADM, MC, USN (Ret.)

  • College of Pharmacy

William Gouveia, MS

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Max D. Ray, PharmD, MS

2005
May 12 – 13
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Edward O’Neil, MPA, PhD

  • College of Pharmacy

Byron F. Schweigert, PharmD

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Clinton Adams, DO, MPA, RADM, MC, USN (Ret.)
“Who Needs a Doctor Anyway?”

2004
May 13
  • College of Allied Health Professions and College of Graduate Nursing

Douglas L. Wood, DO, PhD

  • College of Pharmacy

M. Patricia Lee

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Barbara Ross-Lee, DO

2003
May 16
  • College of Allied Health Professions, College of Graduate Nursing, and College of Pharmacy

Alfred E. Mann, MS, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, MannKind Corporation
“The Rewards of Giving to Society” 

  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Jon Fong, DO ’84
“A Whole in the Heart”

2002
May 31

Edward Tessier, MS
“Let Compassion Lead You”

Kenneth P. Moritsugu, MD, MPH
“Medical Care, Health Care and Health”

2001
May 26

Reverend Chris Brown
“Earn It”

2000
June 2

Jerome A. Halperin
“Four Rules”

1999
June 3

John Roth, PhD
“Healing the Nation’s Wounds”

1998
June 6

Roger J. Bulger, MD
“Healing Persons, Therapeutic Institutions”

1997
June 14

Rev. Harold Henry Wilke
“Angels on Our Shoulder and Muses at Our Side”

1996
June 1

Julie G. Madorsky, MD, Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation Physician and Educator
“Forging the Future Together”

1995
June 10

Honorable George E. Brown, Jr., Congressman
“Look to the Mountain: A Broader View of Health”

1994
June 12
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Dick Beals, Radio Actor & Author
“Think Big”

  • School of Allied Health Professions

David Werdegar, MD, Director, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
“The Importance of Allied Health Professionals in Health Care Reform”

1993
June 13

Fitzhugh Mullan, MD, Assistant U.S. Surgeon General
“A Manifesto for the Medical Generalist”

1992
June 14

Edward E. Rosenbaum, MD, Physician and Author
“Humanism in Medicine”

1991
June 9

Norman Gevitz, PhD, Professor, University of Illinois
“The Reason to Be”

1990
June 10

Ron Lapin, MD, PhD
“Medicine: The Lost Art”

1989
June 11

Michael Josephson, President, The Josephson Institute
“Ethics is More Than Good Business”

1988
June 12

Murray Goldstein, DO, Assistant U.S. Surgeon General
“Facts and Fictions”

1987
June 14

A. Mark Novitch, MD, Sr. Vice President, Upjohn Pharmaceutical
“The Future of Medicine – Who’s In Charge?”

1986
June 8

Ambassador L. Bruce Laingen, Vice President, National Defense University
“The Health of Our National Spirit”

1985
June 9

Astronaut Wally Schirra, Captain, USN (Ret.)
“The Greatest Obstacle to Being Heroic”

1984
June 10

Rear Admiral Almon C. Wilson, MD, MC, USN, Deputy Director, Naval Medicine
“Patients, Physicians and New Technology – A Fine Blend”

1983
June 12

Captain (Commodore – Selectee) Louis H. Eske, DO, MC, USN Commanding Officer, Naval Regional Medical Center, Long Beach, California
“The Health Care Profession – In Revolution or Renaissance?”

1982
June 13

Dixon Arnett, Deputy Regional Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
“The Celebration of Achievement”