Prior to joining Chamberlain, Dr. Cox served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Children’s Mercy – Kansas City, an independent, academic medical center. Dr. Cox led the organization to receive Magnet designation by The American Nurses Credentialing Center, becoming the first hospital in Missouri and the region in 2003 to receive such recognition when she was Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. Dr. Cox started her healthcare career as a licensed practical nurse.

Previously, she was elected to the American Hospital Association, Section on Maternal and Child Health Governing Council (2013-2016) and was appointed to the Children’s Hospital Association, Child Health Committee (2013-2017). Dr. Cox was named a Fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellowship Program (1999-2002) and was appointed to a term on the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, U.S. Health and Human Services (2006-2011). She also served as board chair of the National Initiative for Children’s Health Quality, as board member and chair of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City board of directors (2009-2015) and was an inaugural member of the National League of Nursing Foundation Advisory Council.

Dr. Cox has contributed articles to publications including Nursing Outlook, Modern Healthcare, American Journal of Nursing, Nursing Economics, Seminars for Nurse Managers, Journal of Nursing Administration, Nursing Leadership Forum, Nursing Administration Quarterly and Journal of Public Health Nursing.

Dr. Cox is also the current President of the American Academy of Nursing (2017-2019) and a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives. She holds an associate degree in nursing from Excelsior College, a bachelor’s in nursing degree from the University of Kansas and a master’s and PhD in nursing from the University of Missouri – Kansas City.

In 2020, 91% of RUSM students passed the initial step of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) on the first attempt. And in 2022-2023, results show yet another strong year for RUSM with a 97% first-time residency attainment rate* thus far. Located on the island of Barbados and with a network of more than 15,000 alumni, RUSM is one of the largest providers of doctors for the U.S. healthcare system. RUSM graduates practice in all 50 states and in Puerto Rico.

*First time residency attainment rate is the percent of students attaining a 2023-24 residency position out of all graduates or expected graduates in 2022-23 who were active applicants in the 2023 NRMP match or who attained a residency position outside the NRMP match.