Stephan Davis, D.N.P.

Stephan is associate dean of inclusive excellence and belonging for the VCU School of Nursing and the College of Health Professions. He serves as the inaugural executive director of Inclusive Leadership Education for the Department of Health Administration at the college. Davis is a fellow and national faculty member for the American College of Health Executives and a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. 

Prior to joining VCU, Stephan served as M.H.A. Director, assistant professor of health administration, and Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for The University of North Texas Health Science Center’s School of Public Health. While at the Health Science Center, he launched the Executives in Residence program, facilitated the M.H.A. program becoming the first in the nation to fully integrate a pathway to Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) designation into the curriculum, and introduced innovative andragogical methods including video-based simulation. He also represented the school nationally by leading the programmatic design and serving as the primary faculty facilitator for the 2021 Student Leadership Institute for the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.

A scholar-practitioner, Stephan has been a champion for advancing DEI in both practice and academic environments. During his time as a practicing healthcare executive, he facilitated organizations becoming designated as leaders in LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality with the Human Rights Campaign. In the academic context, he served as an invited conferee for the 2020 Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Conference on Addressing Harmful Bias and Eliminating Discrimination in Health Professions Learning Environments, which culminated in a report of recommendations and action steps for educators and academic leaders to advance DEI in their institutions. He has continued to partner with the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation to disseminate the recommendations and offer thought leadership through diverse channels including podcasts, blogs, and national presentations. During 2021, in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the field of healthcare management, he was bestowed the ACHE “Distinguished Service Award” at the national-level and the chapter-level award for the “Early Career (under 40) Healthcare Executive of the Year.”