Biography
Rodolfo Bonnin joins Barry University as Dean of the School of Social Work and Mental Health, bringing almost two decades of academic leadership and interdisciplinary expertise to the role. He earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri and has built a distinguished career at the intersection of education and health. For the past two years, he has served as the Assistant Dean for Institutional Knowledge Management at the Florida International University medical school, a crucial role in the development and growth of the medical school. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at FIU, where he has been recognized for his commitment to student success and mental health, as well as for curricular innovation and introducing new topics to the medical education curriculum that were previously overlooked.
Dr. Bonnin has successfully led the medical school’s Institutional Knowledge Management department, overseeing the centralization of information to support evidence-based decision-making across the medical school. He led the development of an academic data system used by Student Affairs to identify and monitor the progress and intervention of at-risk students. As the Director of Assessment and Evaluation, he developed numerous feedback processes to assist faculty in evaluating high-quality assessments that enhance teaching and learning effectiveness that are aligned with programmatic outcomes.
Throughout his tenure as an educator, Dr. Bonnin led numerous initiatives to integrate mental health perspectives into patient care, medical training, and health policy. He developed evidence-based curricula on topics such as emotional intelligence and suicide education, as well as behavioral evaluations of student professionalism, ensuring that future physicians are equipped to address the complex social factors that influence physician competency and patient outcomes. He created an innovative training program that directly addresses the impact of stereotypes and stigma about suicide. This has become a permanent part of the curriculum, and FIU is one of the few schools in the nation that teaches this critical component of suicide assessment. His scholarship and service have been marked by a dedication to student mental health, healthcare provider competencies, and promoting the normalization of sensitive topics in the medical education curriculum.
As Dean, Dr. Bonnin is committed to strengthening the School of Social Work and Mental Health’s impact through academic excellence, cutting-edge research, and deepened community engagement. He envisions expanding experiential learning opportunities, advancing faculty research productivity, and fostering a culture of collaboration across disciplines. His leadership philosophy is grounded in the belief that psychology and social work education play a vital role in creating healthier, more equitable communities—and he looks forward to working alongside faculty, students, alumni, and partners to realize that vision.