Education

Yale University
Doctor of Nursing Practice in Healthcare Leadership, Systems and Policy

Georgetown University
Master of Science in Health Systems Administration

University of Maryland, Baltimore
Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Faculty Biography

Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, FACHE is the inaugural Executive Director of Inclusive Leadership Education for the department of health administration. He also serves as Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence and Belonging for the College of Health Professions. Dr. Davis is a fellow and national faculty member for the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). He is the immediate past chair of the ACHE LGBTQ Healthcare Leaders Community and has served as an ACHE Regent-at-Large, a role created to foster diversity in the governance of ACHE. In addition, he serves as Chair of the Quality and Safety Faculty Forum for the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA). For his leadership in the interprofessional context, he has been elected as a distinguished scholar and fellow of the National Academies of Practice 2022 class of inductees.

Prior to joining VCU, Dr. Davis served as MHA Director, Assistant Professor of Health Administration, and Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for The University of North Texas Health Science Center, School of Public Health. While at the Health Science Center, he launched the Executives in Residence program, facilitated the MHA 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, Dr. Davis 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.”

National Presentations (5 most recent)

1. Davis, S., Mora, A., Meadows, K. “Simulating Discrimination: A Safe Place to Learn the Harsh Realities of Healthcare.” Association of University Programs in Health Administration Annual Meeting. June 2021. 
2. Humphrey, H., Schuster, M., Levinson, D., Davis, S. “LGBTQ+ Inclusion: Addressing Harmful Bias and Discrimination in Health Professions Education.” Josiah Macy Foundation. March 2021.
3. Lemak, C., Davis, S., Garner, M., Johnson, D., Sampson, C. “Inclusive Excellence.” Association of University Programs in Health Administration – Academic Program and Practitioner Workshop. March 2021.
4. Davis, S., White, K. “Best Practices in LGBTQ+ Inclusion: Lessons Learned from Leaders in LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality.” American College of Healthcare Executives Annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership. March 2021.
5. Davis, S., Mendóza-Dayao, J., Gentry, D., Mercado, S., Rangel, J. “Improving Quality Through Healthcare Leadership Education.” National Association for Healthcare Quality. October 2020.

Publications

1. Spiva, L., Hedenstrom, L., Ballard, N., Buitrago, P., Davis, S., Hogue, V., Box, M., Taasoobshirazi, G., & Case-Wirth, J. (2021). Nurse leader training and strength-based coaching: Impact on leadership style and resiliency. Nursing management, 52(10), 42–50. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NUMA.0000792024.36056.c0
2. Spiva, L., Davis, S., Case-Wirth, J., Hedenstrom, L., Hogue, V., Box, M., Berrier, E., Jones, C., Thurman, S., Knotts, K., & Ahlers, L. (2020). The Effectiveness of Charge Nurse Training on Leadership Style and Resiliency. The Journal of nursing administration, 50(2), 95–103. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000848
3. Davis, S., & Berlinger, N. (2014). Moral Progress in the Public Safety Net: Access for Transgender and LGB Patients. The Hastings Center report, 44 Suppl 4, S45–S47. https://doi.org/10.1002/hast.370