Speakers - Dr. Michelle Acorn

Dr. Michelle Acorn
Chief Nurse, Nursing and Programmes, International Council of Nurses

Dr. Michelle Acorn, DNP, NP PHC/Adult, MN/ACNP, BScN/PHCNP, FCAN, FAAN, GCNC, is a Doctor of Nurse Practitioner/Nursing Practice, dually registered as both a Primary Health Care and Adult Nurse Practitioner. Michelle holds national nursing certifications in Emergency and Gerontology and an international certification as a Global Nurse Consultant.

Michelle was inducted as an inaugural Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nursing (FCAN) and is also an inaugural international Miller Foundation Post-Doctoral System Chief Nurse Executive Fellow in the Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy at Case Western University. Her diverse clinical expertise includes practicing in the Emergency, as a Hospitalist, innovating GAIN (Geriatric Assessment and Intervention Networks), and pioneering the most responsible provider (MRP) impacts of a NP–led model of inpatient hospital care and primary care in corrections.

In 2018, Michelle transitioned to executive leadership modernizing the Provincial Chief Nursing Officer role in Ontario, Canada to provide ministerial strategic nursing expertise as the technical and clinical advisor. She co-chaired the national Principal Nursing Advisors Task Force and acted as the Canadian delegate. Her scholarship and knowledge translation are in textbooks, peer-reviewed articles, evidence informed toolkits, and quality improvement initiates.  She is recognized for her leadership, mentorship, preceptorship, and teaching.

Michelle has served as Chief Nurse at ICN since May 2021. She was inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing in October 2021 (FAAN).