Brent LaFaiveNorth Central Michigan College announced today that its nationally ranked nursing program has a new leader.

Brent LaFaive has joined the college as dean of Nursing and Allied Health. He brings both patient-centered nursing experience and extensive management skills to a key role.

“North Central’s faculty are exceptional, and we are blessed with incredible facilities for our students,” LaFaive said. “I look forward to working with the team to develop and improve programs that will support our area for the next 10 to 20 years.”

LaFaive holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing and a Master of Health Administration. He served most recently as regional manager of home health for McLaren Health Management Group. LaFaive has taught for North Central as an adjunct nursing instructor since 2015.

North Central offers a two-year nursing program. In January 2021, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing named the program among the best in the state based on the percentage of graduates who passed the NCLEX-RN® examination. The No. 1 ranking measured North Central’s May 2020 nursing graduates against all other RN graduates in Michigan, including those from four-year universities.

“In addition to maintaining those high scores, we plan on steadily growing our program capacity to ensure that we’re able to provide quality clinicians and care for our families and an aging demographic,” LaFaive said. “We’ll also look for opportunities to provide other allied health offerings as those needs are identified in the community.”

The college offers 11 allied health programs, including EMS/paramedic, surgical technology, medical billing and coding, and certified nurse aide.