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Diane R. Bridges, PhD, MSN, RN, CCM, received her BSN from the University of Texas at Houston where she attended on an academic scholarship. She received her MSN in Leadership Management from La Roche University in Pittsburgh, PA, where she also received the Sigma Theta Tau Scholarship. She earned her PhD in Interprofessional Healthcare Studies from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

Dr. Bridges has been a nurse for over 30 years with experience in Obstetrics, Neonatal Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing, and Orthopedics. These positions included head nurse and management roles. She taught Nursing in two programs and was Chair for the Growing Family Course at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center St. Margaret School Of Nursing. She is also a Certified Case Manager and has worked in this field in a supervisory/management capacity as well as in the private, state, and public sectors of case management.

Dr. Bridges joined the faculty of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science as an Assistant Professor in August 2005 and has since attained the rank of Associate Professor. She served as Director of the Health Administration program and Chair of the Department of Health Services Administration for 9 ½ years. She was one of the Directors in the Rosalind Franklin Interprofessional Team and Culture in Healthcare course for 9 years and oversaw the Service Learning community projects for this course for all first-year on-campus students.

Dr. Bridges is a published author on several topics: Interprofessional Education, Service Learning and Teamwork, Online Education, Interprofessional Competencies and the Portfolio and has presented at many conferences.

In her role as Associate Dean of Interprofessional and Distance Education, Dr. Bridges developed interprofessional relationships with university partners. She provided assistance to ensure interprofessional courses provide opportunities for students from differing healthcare professions to learn from, with, and about each other to develop skills to collaborate and communication as interprofessional team members ultimately providing the best care for patients. She is now Director of Distance Education and Special Curricular Projects and provides leadership and direction to the development of new online courses and certificates in CMS to ensure best practice standards are met for online courses.