Deborah Jones Named President of the MGH Institute of Health Professions

Deborah J. Jones has been named the seventh president of the MGH Institute of Health Professions. She will begin her presidency on January 18.

Founded in 1977 by the Massachusetts General Hospital, the MGH Institute of Health Professions enrolls about 300 undergraduate students and nearly 1,200 graduate students, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Dr. Jones comes to her new role with an extensive background in academic nursing leadership, interprofessional education, academic-clinical system collaboration, program development, and community engagement. She has been a faculty member with the University of Texas Medical Branch since 2017, serving as the institution’s chief integration officer, senior vice president, and dean of the School of Nursing. She also held the Rebecca Sealy Distinguished Centennial Chair and had a stint as interim provost during the 2022-2023 academic year.

“I am inspired by the [MGH Institute for Health Professions’] mission to educate health professionals and researchers who will drive innovation in the delivery of equitable and interprofessional care,” said Dr. Jones. “This mission aligns deeply with my own purpose, which is to bring together people, ideas, and systems for the greater good, because the greater good is stronger than any individual part. I am honored to be leading the MGH Institute of Health Professions into its next chapter.”

Dr. Jones earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Radford University in Virginia. She received her master’s degree in nursing with a focus on nursing administration, as well as her Ph.D. in nursing with a focus on biobehavioral clinical research from Virginia Commonwealth University.