Nursing school founding dean Heather M. Young retires from UC Davis faculty

Heather M. Young, founding dean of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, has retired from faculty service after 18 years of leadership, teaching and innovation.

"Her leadership established the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing as something intentionally different - a school designed to advance health through leadership, innovation, interprofessional education and bold systems change," said Jana Katz-Bell, senior associate dean for strategic initiatives.

Dean Stephen J. Cavanagh said Young's vision continues to guide the school as it prepares the next generation of health leaders.

"Heather did more than establish a school. She created a culture that encourages people to challenge assumptions, work across disciplines and find better ways to improve health and healthcare," Cavanagh said. "The school's continued growth and impact are a testament to the strong foundation she built and the many people she inspired."

Building a school from the ground up

Young, a proud UC Davis alumna from the Department of Nutrition, rejoined UC Davis in 2008 as associate vice chancellor for nursing with the charge of creating a new nursing school. The opportunity followed a $100 million commitment from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to launch the school on the UC Davis Sacramento campus.

The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing was formally established in 2009. A year later, it welcomed its first students: eight doctoral students and 25 master's-degree students studying nursing science and healthcare leadership.

Under Young's leadership, the school grew from an ambitious idea into a nationally recognized center for graduate health education. She guided the creation of five graduate degree programs, built a faculty of more than 28 members and launched a nursing research program that attracted more than $12 million in funding during her time as dean.

Young also oversaw the planning and construction of the 70,000-square-foot Betty Irene Moore Hall. The building opened in 2017 as a home for the School of Nursing. It's also a place where students from nursing, medicine and other health professions learn together in classrooms, simulation labs and study spaces.

She stepped down as dean in 2018 after a decade of service, becoming dean emerita and continuing her work as a professor, researcher and national nursing leader.

Young said she is proud of how the School of Nursing has grown and grateful for the people who helped turn its founding vision into a lasting institution.

"Building the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. From the beginning, we believed nurses and other health professionals could lead meaningful change when they were given the tools, partnerships and freedom to think differently," Young said.

"It has been an honor to work with so many talented leaders, faculty and staff at UC Davis who made the vision a reality. I am deeply proud of what this community has built, and I look forward to continuing that work through the fellowship and supporting nurse leaders across the country."

Extending the vision across the nation

After leaving the dean's office, Young turned her attention to expanding Betty Irene Moore's vision beyond UC Davis.

She created the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators, which launched in 2020 with a $37.5 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The three-year fellowship supports early- and mid-career nurse scholars from across the country whose work can improve healthcare through research, education, practice, policy and entrepreneurship.

Members of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators national program office team honored Young at the close of the program's annual convocation June 28 in Washington, D.C. Although she is retiring from her UC Davis faculty role, Young will continue to lead the fellowship as its national program director.

As national program director, Young has built a network of nurse leaders working to improve health systems and communities across the country. Their projects have introduced new technologies, shaped policy, strengthened community partnerships and created more inclusive approaches to care.

Founding faculty member and fellowship Associate Director Elena Siegel said Young's lasting influence comes from her ability to see potential in people and help them act on it.

"Betty Irene Moore chose UC Davis. UC Davis chose Heather Young. And because of Heather, that choice became a legacy," Siegel said.