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Rick Wallace

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Dr. Rick Wallace

wallac29@nsuok.edu

  • Assistant Professor of Managment
    Health Care Administration

Office Location

  • Broken Arrow
    Broken Arrow Business & Technology 212
    (918) 449-6506

Bio

Dr. Ricky Wallace brings over 30 years of senior leadership experience in healthcare delivery systems, spanning operational and financial executive roles across military, for-profit, and not-for-profit systems. Before entering academia, he served as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer for multiple hospitals within Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), the nations largest healthcare management organization. His tenure was marked by transformational growth, operational excellence, and a commitment to employee engagement, quality outcomes, and fiscal accountabilityprinciples that now define his approach to leadership education and mentorship.
A retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Wallace led medical operations in both combat and humanitarian missions worldwide, reinforcing his belief in mission-driven, accountable leadership. A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), he has served as Regent for the New Mexico and Southwest Texas District and received the ACHE Regents Award for Exceptional Service.

Education:

  • PhD, Health Services Administration and Leadership, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2012
  • MBA, Health Services Management, Webster University, 1992
  • MA, Psychological Counseling, Ball State University, 1979
Research explores transformational leadership in healthcare and business, focusing on how empowering leadership fosters trust, psychological safety, and innovationcreating environments where teams collaborate effectively to improve performance, quality, and organizational outcomes.
Teaching interests: Healthcare Leadership, Operations Management, Strategic Planning, Quality & Patient Safety, Economics, Policy, Global Health Systems, Project Management, Organizational Behavior, Performance Measurement, HROs & Systems Thinking, Change Leadership, and HR Strategy.

Intellectual Content:

  • A New Paradigm: Culturally Competent Leadership for Indigenous healthcare. (Journal Article, Academic Journal), Discovery, Accepted,

Presentations:

  • Effective Transition from Military to Civilian Healthcare Career - American College of Healthcare Executives - Chicago - March 2023