Dr. Michele Nealon
President
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
As president of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP), Dr. Michele Nealon oversees one of the most successful non-profit professional graduate and undergraduate universities in the nation, directing campuses across the country that educate almost 6,000 students from more than 30 countries in the fields of psychology, health sciences, and nursing. President Nealon has presided over the University’s expansion from a single campus to eight national locations, which now include Chicago, IL; Southern California (Los Angeles, Anaheim, and San Diego); Washington, D.C.; Dallas, TX; TCSPP at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans; and a robust Online Campus. The Chicago School now proudly confers more than 12% of the nation’s doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, offers more than 35 degree programs and certificates, and annually donates more than 1.2 million hours nationally in community service.
Under President Nealon’s strategic leadership, TCSPP has enjoyed unprecedented success in enrollment growth and student outcomes, increased new and innovative program offerings at multiple degree levels, and significantly increased global presence, placing the institution at the forefront of advancing a curriculum that is interprofessional and transdisciplinary in nature. Dr. Nealon also spearheaded the development of a roadmap for the future of the University, which resulted in the creation of The Chicago School’s new College of Nursing and Advanced Health Professions to advance the University as a leader in the area of health sciences. Through the new College of Nursing, TCSPP will prepare a new generation of nursing and mental health experts for practice and leadership in integrated healthcare.
Dr. Nealon’s distinguished career reflects her dedication to ensuring that underserved populations receive the mental healthcare they need and deserve. She began her career in Clinical Psychology while at University College in Dublin, Ireland, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree. In 1994, Dr. Nealon moved to the United States where she worked with adolescents in group homes and foster care for more than six years. Her clinical experience includes a variety of clinical settings with diverse groups of people including inpatient, outpatient, community mental health, forensic, and academic settings. As a licensed Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Nealon specializes in the treatment of children, adolescents, and their families.
After earning her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at TCSPP’s Chicago Campus, Dr. Nealon served as a faculty member and then Department Chair of the Clinical Psy.D. Program at the Chicago Campus. In 2006, Dr. Nealon received the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award in the area of Public Service Teaching. She then moved to California in 2008 to open The Chicago School’s new Los Angeles Campus location and serve as Campus President. She subsequently assumed the institution’s top leadership position as University President in 2010 and moved the national headquarters to Los Angeles.
President Nealon is also the founder and CEO of The Nealon Group, an Executive Coaching company focused on senior level leadership development and coaching. She is an accomplished writer and speaker on a wide range of psychology-related and leadership topics.
