Susan L. Adams, Ph.D., R.N., N.P., C.N.S.
Associate Clinical Professor
Susan Adams is an associate clinical professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis. A nurse since 1978 and certified women’s health nurse practitioner and maternity clinical specialist since 1984, Adams teaches students in the school’s clinical programs — which includes the nurse practitioner and physician assistant programs as well as the school’s newest program, the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing. She also teaches students in the master's leadership program and mentors medical students who engage in leadership activities. She is a recognized leader in the development and support of interprofessional education at UC Davis Health.
Adams adds a unique perspective to the School of Nursing, having served 12 years as an elected county supervisor in Marin County, California. Through her policy work and use of evidence-based practices, she launched a nationally recognized volunteer medical reserve corps, developed a therapeutic justice system that diverted non-violent mentally ill offenders into treatment instead of jail and led the creation of a comprehensive health-and-wellness campus using tobacco settlement money.
Adams’ teaching experience includes nursing students and extends to medical students and residents at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, where she brings innovative approaches to learning. Prior to the School of Nursing, Adams served in both clinical and academic settings at UCSF. She has also been an associate professor of nursing and faculty of record for the maternity nursing program at Dominican University in San Rafael, California.
Adams served as chair for the National Association of Counties Health Care Reform Committee, where the policy platform she helped craft with more than 3,000 other counties provided local county government representatives a seat at President Obama’s table throughout the discussions about health care reform. Adams has also served as a leader in linking community infrastructure with community health.
In 1998, Adams earned a doctorate from the UCSF School of Nursing with a focus on dually diagnosed pregnant women and new mothers. She earned a master’s degree in nursing science with a focus on postpartum support for new mothers in 1984, also from UCSF. She completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing from San Francisco State University, School of Nursing. She has published scholarly articles for publications such as the Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing as well as content for books such as Ambulatory Obstetrics and Women's Primary Care: Protocols for Practice. She has provided numerous local, regional, state and national presentations.
Contact Information: Phone: 916-734-8857 | E-mail: sladams@ucdavis.edu
