Remembering Dr. Holly J. Humphrey ’79, Trustee and First Female Board Chair

Prominent North Central College alumna Holly J. Humphrey, MD, MACP, was elected to the College’s Board of Trustees in 2004. On January 1, 2023, she became the first woman to serve as chair of the North Central College Board of Trustees. Dr. Humphrey died on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The cause was pancreatic cancer, according to her husband, Dr. Duane Follman.

Dr. Humphrey was a national leader in medical education and president of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, a national foundation dedicated to improving the education of health professionals. After earning an undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry and graduating summa cum laude from North Central in 1979, she earned her M.D. with honors from the University of Chicago. There, Dr. Humphrey served for 30 years in various faculty and leadership roles, including as dean for medical education. Graduating medical students at the University of Chicago selected her for the institution's Gender Equity Award on five occasions and honored her with the Favorite Faculty Teaching Award 27 times.

“Holly was a staunch supporter of a liberal arts education and of North Central College in particular,” said President Abiódún Gòkè-Pariolá. “She spoke fondly of her time at North Central, which enabled her to pursue a rigorous academic education while pursuing her love for music as a member of the College’s orchestra. As a trustee and as the first woman to serve as the College’s board chair, she was passionate about providing those same types of opportunities for future generations of students. We will be forever grateful for the integrity with which Holly served as a trustee and board chair, and for the impact that she had on our campus community.”

In 1987, Dr. Humphrey received the College’s Alumni Recognition Award, and in 2009, she received the Outstanding Alumni Award. In 2015, she was selected to co-chair the College’s $150 million Brilliant Future Campaign, which successfully concluded in June 2022.

"North Central College catalyzed my career in medicine by building a strong foundation in the liberal arts," Dr. Humphrey said upon being named chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. "The combination of a strong liberal arts faculty and opportunities in the fine arts and athletics was unparalleled.”

Along with her husband, Dr. Humphrey is survived by her three children: Sarah Follman, MD, Benjamin Follman, MD (Emma), and Hannah Follman, a journalist; and her two brothers, Philip (Sue) and Richard (Chris).

A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, May 2, at Christ Church in Oak Brook, Ill. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions to student scholarship funds be directed to North Central College or the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.