Michele Ross
Assistant Adjunct Professor DNP, MBA, RN, CEN, EMT-PAbout Me
Dr. Michele Ross, DNP, MBA, RN, CEN, EMT-P, is a healthcare leader, clinician, and educator with more than 30 years of experience in emergency medical services, emergency nursing, trauma care, and healthcare operations. She currently serves as Nurse Manager for the Emergency Department, Trauma Program, and Universal Care Unit at a Level II Trauma Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center in Northern California. Dr. Ross began her career as a paramedic and flight medic before transitioning into emergency nursing and leadership. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Master of Business Administration and has led numerous initiatives focused on quality improvement, patient experience, operational excellence, and trauma program development.
Education
Dr. Michele Ross holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Aspen University. She also completed her Paramedic education through the Stanford–Foothill College Paramedic Program, providing an early foundation in emergency and prehospital medicine. Her academic preparation integrates advanced nursing practice, healthcare leadership, business administration, and emergency medical services.
Her doctoral studies emphasized evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership, while her graduate business education focused on organizational strategy, finance, and operational management. This multidisciplinary educational background supports her expertise in emergency and trauma care, healthcare operations, leadership development, and healthcare quality improvement.
Teaching Interests
Dr. Ross's teaching interests include healthcare leadership, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, emergency and trauma care, healthcare operations, and organizational performance. She is particularly interested in preparing future healthcare professionals to lead within complex clinical environments through the application of systems thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.
Additional areas of interest include patient safety, healthcare quality, clinical research, nursing professional development, healthcare policy, and change management. Dr. Ross is passionate about helping students bridge the gap between academic theory and professional practice while fostering critical thinking, lifelong learning, and a commitment to improving patient outcomes.
Scholarly Interests
Dr. Ross's scholarly and research interests focus on healthcare quality improvement, emergency department operations, patient throughput, and the optimization of healthcare delivery systems. Her doctoral research examined the impact of emergency department flow coordination on operational performance and patient outcomes, with particular emphasis on reducing delays in care and improving patient access to emergency services.
Additional areas of scholarly interest include healthcare leadership, patient experience, evidence-based practice implementation, trauma systems, workforce engagement, and the use of data analytics to drive organizational performance. Dr. Ross is particularly interested in translating research into practice through quality improvement initiatives that enhance patient safety, clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care.
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
American Nurses Association (ANA)
Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL)
Community Service
Dr. Ross is committed to community engagement through healthcare education, mentorship, and initiatives that promote public health and injury prevention. She actively participates in Rock the Ride, a community-based initiative focused on raising awareness and supporting efforts to prevent youth gun violence. Having spent much of her paramedic and emergency nursing career caring for patients affected by violence in Alameda County, she recognizes the profound impact that violence has on individuals, families, and communities.
Her service interests include violence prevention, trauma-informed care, emergency preparedness, health education, mentorship of future healthcare professionals, and community outreach initiatives that improve health outcomes and strengthen community resilience.