Dr. Regina Benjamin was born on October 26, 1956 in Mobile Alabama. After graduating from Fairhope High School, she received her undergraduate degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1979 and went on to be among the second graduating class of the Morehouse School of Medicine. In 1984 Regina Benjamin became Dr. Regina Benjamin upon receiving her medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Because of her dissatisfaction with the current health system and premature deaths of her family members, Dr. Benjamin was moved to action.In 1990 Dr. Regina founded the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic and has since rebuilt it after damage by hurricanes George in 1988 and Katrina in 2005.
From 2002-2003 Dr. Regina served as Associate Dean for Rural Health at the University of South Alabama’s College of Medicine and as President of the State of Alabama Medical Association. She was nominated by President Barack Obama as Surgeon General of the United States and as a Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service. She was confirmed on October 29, 2009.
Prepared and submitted by
First Lady Evangelist Val Lawson
