Pamela Slaven-Lee, a nurse practitioner with a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a track record of expanding academic programs across major universities, has been appointed president of Mercy's Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Cape Girardeau, effective July 6, 2026. The appointment represents a significant leadership transition for the college, which serves as a pipeline for nursing and health science professionals across Mercy's five-state footprint spanning Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Illinois.
Slaven-Lee comes to Mercy from C3 Cares in Washington, D.C., where she served as chief operating officer for the nurse-led community healthcare organization serving underserved populations. Before that role, she held the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, where she oversaw all academic programs, research, faculty and student support services across multiple campuses and research centers. During her tenure at Marymount, the university achieved Research University classification from the Carnegie Foundation, a distinction that recognizes institutional research capacity. Stephanie Clements, Mercy's senior vice president and chief nurse executive, praised Slaven-Lee's qualifications, noting that she is recognized for building strong academic programs and well-regarded online offerings. Mercy did not indicate whether an external search firm was retained for the recruitment process.
Slaven-Lee's career reflects deep experience in nursing education and academic operations across premier institutions. Earlier in her tenure at George Washington University's School of Nursing, she held senior academic leadership roles overseeing all online and in-person undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs across 47 states and Washington D.C. During her time there, the GW School of Nursing achieved a top-10 national ranking for its online master's degree program. She has also held faculty appointments at Georgetown University and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Beyond her nursing credentials, Slaven-Lee serves as a founding board member of Wreaths Across America, an organization dedicated to remembering fallen service members and honoring veterans. She is married to retired United States Marine Ho K. Lee and has three sons.
Mercy's Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences, located in Cape Girardeau, operates nine academic programs including nursing, radiologic technology, medical laboratory science and surgical technology, with both on-campus and online offerings. The college awarded 51 degrees at its spring 2025 commencement and has recently launched new programs such as diagnostic medical sonography. The institution received a 150,000 dollar grant from the Missouri Board of Nursing in December 2025 to support faculty development, simulation services and expanded clinical placements. Slaven-Lee succeeds Dr. Steven Langdon, who retired after 40 years in higher education and seven years as college president.
The appointment suggests Mercy views online education expansion as a growth lever for its college. Slaven-Lee's demonstrated ability to scale digital program offerings across multiple states directly aligns with Mercy's stated ambition to grow the college not only in Southeast Missouri but across its communities in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma. The nursing labor shortage across acute care settings has intensified demand for qualified graduates, making experienced academic leaders who can boost enrollment critical to regional healthcare workforce planning. Slaven-Lee's background in managing research portfolios, securing external funding and achieving research university status also positions her to elevate the college's institutional profile beyond workforce training, potentially enhancing its appeal to prospective students and faculty in a competitive higher education market.
