Dawn Morton-rias EdD, PA-C

Dawn Morton-Rias was appointed President & CEO of NCCPA in 2014 and is a non-voting member of the NCCPA Board of Directors. She is a long-time PA educator and former PA program director. Prior to joining NCCPA, she served as a Professor and Dean at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, where she still serves on faculty.

Morton-Rias has practiced in family medicine, addictive medicine, gynecology, and acute care for the homeless. She has served as President of the PAEA appointee to the HRSA Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry; appointee to the Federation of State Medical Board’s Education Committee; advisor to the National Health Service Corps; and Commissioner on the PA Accreditation Commission. She is a previous recipient of a Fulbright Senior Specialists grant award and the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health’s Leadership Award.

Morton-Rias earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stony Brook University and a Bachelor of Science degree and PA Certificate from Howard University. She completed a Professional Diploma in Instructional Leadership and earned a Doctorate of Education from St. John’s University.