BONITA STANTON

STANTON--Bonita F. Hackensack Meridian Health mourns the loss of Bonita F. Stanton, the founding dean of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Dr. Stanton, a graduate of Yale Medical School, where she was elected to the AOA, the medical school honor society. Dr. Stanton was known for her pioneering work in impoverished corners of the developing world, including Bangladesh, where her research and care improved and saved countless lives. Dr. Stanton's dedication to community-based behavioral research was a passion she pursued throughout her career. She made major research contributions toward global HIV prevention and was continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a Principal Investigator from 1991 to 2016. She authored more than 350 peer- reviewed manuscripts and served as an editor of several textbooks, including Nelson's Textbook of Pediatrics. She was the consulting editor for "Pediatric Clinics of North America," and was a member of the editorial board of Clinical Keys. She served on countless study sections for the NIH and Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, and served on numerous boards, task forces, and professional organizations. Most recently, and after decades at leading medical schools across the country, she became the founding dean of the innovative and community-focused Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, whose mission was shaped from Dr. Stanton's vision for creating more equity in healthcare. In six short years, the School has redefined medical education. She relished the opportunity in welcoming the first class in 2018, and proudly sent 18 of its members to graduate this past June to enter residencies across the Hackensack Meridian Health network. Dr. Stanton's contributions make the future brighter for all of us. Our prayers are with her family: daughters Margaret Clemens, Rebecca and son- in-law Dustin Bouverette; her precious grandchildren Hunter, Griffin and Ainsley Mikel, Abigail Bouverette and a grandson due in May. She is also survived by her sister, Pamela Albertsen (Peter), her brother Kim Stanton(Pamela) and many nieces and nephews who will always remember their "Aunt Bonnie." In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Bonita F. Stanton, M.D. Scholarship Fund. Hackensack Meridian Health and the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health Frank Fekete, CPA, chair of HMH Board of Trustees John "Skip" Williams, MD, EdD, MPH, FCCM, chair of the HMSOM Board of Governors