Paula Lucey, PhD has worn many hats in healthcare, mental health services, and social services in the Milwaukee area. Before her current role as Program Director of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM) College of Nursing master’s degree program, Dr. Lucey created, implemented, and led the General Assistance Medical Program, a national model for caring for uninsured patients. She also ran the Milwaukee County Paramedic Program in partnership with all 17 of the municipalities in Milwaukee County. Dr. Lucey was tapped to be the Director of Health and Human Services of Milwaukee County by then County Executive Scott Walker until she temporarily retired.
Dr. Lucey then began to work in the mental healthcare field. She started in the private sector as an Executive Director for an organization providing the full spectrum of services to adolescents, including education, residential care and outpatient care. Later, she was recruited to return and lead the Milwaukee Behavioral Health Center in its service redesign. Dr. Lucey began teaching part- time for UWM while still working for Milwaukee County and has taught in the areas of leadership, policy and professional roles.
Dr. Lucey is a founding board member and was the longtime chair of the Consortium on Public and Community Health overseeing the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW). Dr. Lucey brought her knowledge of the community and ability to move an agenda forward to the formative years of AHW and the Consortium. Under her leadership, AHW and the Consortium evolved from a focus on awarding grants to take a proactive role as leaders catalyzing innovative partnerships to improve the health of Wisconsin citizens.
Dr. Lucey has a PhD in leadership from Walden University in Minneapolis-St. Paul, a Master of Science degree in nursing administration from Marquette University and is an alumna of the UWM College of Nursing, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree.
She is a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow – Cohort 1999.
