The State of Connecticut has formally proclaimed April 15 as Petra Clark-Dufner Day, in recognition of her distinguished career of sustained leadership in education, health equity, and workforce development.
Clark-Dufner is the director of the Connecticut Area Health Education Center (CT AHEC), based at UConn Health, and is an assistant professor in the UConn School of Medicine.
“I am truly honored by this recognition,” says Clark-Dufner, “and value that this honor is shared by many academic and community partners, parents, caregivers, and students. Together, we are a community that cares deeply about each other.”
Issued by Governor Ned Lamont, the proclamation honors her more than three decades of service in strengthening Connecticut’s health professions pipeline and expanding access to health care services in under resourced communities. Her work has been instrumental in establishing UConn Health as a statewide anchor for workforce policy and innovation. Clark-Dufner was a driving force in the Community Health Worker Practice Act, the Rural Health Transformation Plan, and the AHEC Act in Connecticut.
Dr. Andy Agwunobi, executive vice president for Health Affairs and CEO of UConn Health, underscores the alignment between her leadership and the organization’s mission. “Petra’s career reflects what UConn Health stands for—education in service of the public good,” said Agwunobi. “Her ability to bridge policy, education, and community partnership has strengthened our workforce, improved access to care, and expanded opportunity across the state.”
Under Clark-Dufner’s leadership, CT AHEC has grown to four regional centers throughout the state that serve as links for connecting local community groups and health care professionals with the resources of UConn Health and other health profession training programs. The CT AHEC Network reaches approximately 18,000 learners annually, starting as early as middle school. Clark-Dufner co-founded with Dr. Bruce Gould CT AHEC’s Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars program (AHEC Scholars), a nationally recognized two-year interprofessional education program that has graduated more than 1,000 students from UConn schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, social work, and Quinnipiac University’s PA program. AHEC Scholars emphasizes sustained community engagement, leadership development, and applied learning grounded in the social determinants of health.
AHEC Scholars alumni frequently describe the program as formative in shaping their professional identity and confidence. Chinenye Anyanwu, a graduate of the UConn School of Pharmacy and now a faculty member within the School, was in the first UST cohort and credits the program with preparing her for interprofessional collaboration in complex clinical and community-based care settings.
“The Urban Service Track program pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible,” Anyanwu said. “It helped me develop the skills to collaborate across disciplines, understand the realities patients face outside the clinic, and carry that perspective into both my research and my teaching.”
Dr. Bruce Liang, dean of the UConn School of Medicine, emphasized the significance of her contributions to interprofessional education and public service. “Petra has fundamentally shaped how our institution prepares learners for service,” Liang said. “Her work ensures that students are not only clinically skilled, but socially responsive, ethically grounded, and prepared to lead in diverse communities across Connecticut.”
Governor’s Proclamation.
WHEREAS, Petra Clark-Dufner has championed civil rights in health care
by advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion across Connecticut’s education
and workforce systems; and
WHEREAS, as an educator and state leader for over two decades, she co-founded the
Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program and directs the Connecticut AHEC Network,
impacting 18,000 learners annually; and
WHEREAS, her advocacy shaped landmark policies, including the
Community Health Worker Practice Act, the Rural Health Transformation
Plan, and the AHEC Act in Connecticut to strengthen the health workforce
pipeline; and
WHEREAS, her lifelong dedication to justice, education, and heath equity
has strengthened communities and inspired generations of health
professionals; now
THEREFORE, I, Ned Lamont, Governor of the State of Connecticut, hereby
proclaim April 15, 2026 as
PETRA CLARK-DUFNER DAY in the State of Connecticut.
Faculty and community partners describe Clark-Dufner as a passionate leader. Kenia Mansilla, program director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at UConn Health, has partnered closely with CT AHEC and AHEC Scholars for many years.
“Petra has an extraordinary ability to remove barriers for people who want to do meaningful work,” Mansilla said. “She makes collaboration feel possible, even in the midst of busy clinical and academic environments, and that has allowed us to expose learners to the real work of primary care and community service.”
Reflecting upon the 13 years that the AHEC Scholars program has partnered with Ollie M. Williams Community Health and Wellness Fair, Geneva Williams, founder of the fair, said, “Petra showed up in our community with humility. She listened to what families were saying and respected the wisdom that already existed here. Together, we built something that didn’t just serve the community—it honored it.”
“Petra Clark-Dufner has made a substantial and significant impact on the health of countless citizens in Connecticut and elsewhere,” says Millicent Malcolm, DNP, GNP-BC, AGPCNP-BC, APRN, FAANP, associate professor in the UConn Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing. She credits Clark-Dufner in helping her develop a program for vulnerable homebound adults. “Petra was on the ground influencing our project from the very beginning. She helped faculty and students understand the important and powerful role of the interprofessional team on the health and wellness of our patient population. Petra is an outstanding person. She is straightforward in her approach, highly caring, empathetic, and promotes excellence in everything she has done. Her impact on countless students and professionals has promoted an effective, efficient, and strong health care workforce that has been deployed to Connecticut and beyond.”
Clark-Dufner couldn’t be prouder of the impact of her and CT AHEC’s work training the next generation of the health care workforce and their impact upon the community.
“We tell our students to be change agents,” Clark-Dufner says. “Some of our students who actually come from underserved backgrounds take what they’ve learned and go back into those communities, but we’ve also had students from suburban communities, or rural communities, who have felt passionate about what we’re teaching. Everyone who goes into medicine is compassionate, but our students have a different level.”
Clark-Dufner is a change agent supreme, modeling for her students the empathy, energy, and motivation they will need. “I’m not a clinician,” she says. “I’m an educator, from a family of educators. Every single student is worth the investment of time and nurturing.”
She concludes, “It’s been a wonderful challenge.”
