Melinda Cooling, DNP, APN, NEA-BC

Melinda Cooling is vice president of advanced practice/chief clinician executive for Saint Gabriel Digital Health at OSF HealthCare. She is a family nurse practitioner and practiced within an internal medicine/pediatrics practice and in modern urgent care. Dr. Cooling developed the vision for the Center for Advanced Practice within OSF HealthCare, which included the conceptualization of an APP fellowship model that has now achieved national accreditation. She has held faculty positions in undergraduate and graduate colleges of nursing. Dr. Cooling has experience in research, serving as a principal investigator for studies related to rheumatoid arthritis. She has been a co-investigator for several current studies relating to APP transition to practice, burnout and preceptor evaluation tools for postgraduate fellowship. She also has served as a member of a research team studying the efficacy of simulation for nursing students.

Dr. Cooling serves as an advisory board member of Advanced Practice Provider Executives, the Center for Advancing Provider Practices’ Thought Leaders’ Council, and Sullivan Cotter Advanced Practice Council. She has also held a position on the Association of Post-Graduate APRN Programs board. In addition, Dr. Cooling serves as a commissioner on accreditation for American Nurses Credentialing Center Transition to Practice programs. In her role within Saint Gabriel Digital Health, she works with operational and clinical leaders to design and implement new digital solutions to provide care for patients and communities.