Dr. Molly Brown
Dr. Molly Brown brings extensive experience in community health to her new role as director of healthcare initiatives at McPherson College. In this newly created position, she will focus on expanding degree programs and career experiences to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals in rural Kansas. Her work will also involve strengthening partnerships and promoting awareness of the program across the state.
“My experience with program development, evaluation, teaching, and workforce development supports the goals of the college’s strategic plan for health sciences and will lend to success of enhancing and growing healthcare initiatives for both students and rural communities,” Brown said. “I approach development from a systems perspective and believe true collaborative approaches are integral to long-term success.”
Brown began her career as an EMT in an emergency department in New Mexico and transitioned away from direct patient care into health education as a student at UNLV in Nevada. After moving to Kansas in 2008, she went on to gain experience with local health departments and state health organizations, eventually moving into leadership roles in higher education. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and a doctorate in community psychology from Wichita State University.
Her community health background includes work in health education at the Reno County Health Department, managing various local and state funding to implement prevention programs, later moving to an administrative role leading initiatives in environmental health, emergency preparedness, WIC, and health promotion. She moved on to leadership roles at the University of Kansas Medical Center and Wichita State University, where her focus included developing community health programs, expanding student experiential learning opportunities, growing grant support, and implementing interprofessional education. Most recently, she served as director of the Heartland Telehealth Resource Center, advancing telehealth education and workforce development in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
This summer, McPherson College began renovations to Melhorn Science Hall, expanding laboratory space and upgrading equipment with $2.1 million in congressionally directed funding secured by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran. Enhancements include updated biology, chemistry, and computer labs and a new exercise science lab with innovative equipment and technology, including Anatomage tables — state-of-art 3D virtual dissection and anatomy learning tools.
Since launching its health science and healthcare management degree in 2020, McPherson College has partnered with the McPherson Center for Health to provide unprecedented access to all hospital departments and professionals, allowing students to explore both clinical and non-clinical careers. New partnerships with the McPherson YMCA and the University of Kansas School of Medicine further expand learning and career opportunities in the healthcare field.
“The health science and healthcare management programs are in a position to grow in ways that align with the workforce needs in Kansas and the region,” Brown said. “My interest in working collaboratively with rural health organizations to build educational opportunities for students is what attracted me to this role. Expanding education and workforce opportunities to rural communities is integral to building access to health care in areas it is needed. I aim to continue building on the already established partnerships to ensure students have access to applied learning opportunities.”