Heather Young PhD, RN, FAAN

Dr. Heather M. Young is a nurse leader, educator, scientist, and nationally recognized expert in gerontological nursing and rural health care. She is a professor and dean emerita for the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis. Dr. Young researches healthy aging with a particular focus on the interface between individuals, family, and formal healthcare systems. She co-leads the Healthy Aging in a Digital World initiative at UC Davis Health, in which a diverse team of experts explore the use of technology to provide a bridge between independent living and access to health care across a person’s lifespan. She is associate director for strategic partnerships for the School of Nursing’s Family Caregiving Institute, which seeks to better support family caregivers of individuals with chronic diseases while also improving the preparation of health professionals to provide that support and coaching. Her systems research includes medication management and safety in rural assisted-living settings and hospitals, as well as the use of technology, such as telehealth and community-based strategies to promote healthy aging. As founding dean and associate vice chancellor for nursing for UC Davis Health, Dr. Young led the establishment of the school of nursing and the development of five new graduate programs in nursing science and health-care leadership, including a nurse practitioner program. She served as a commissioner on the California Future Healthcare Workforce Commission and a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Group for the California Master Plan on Aging.