M. Christopher Saslo, D.N.S. ‘07

M. Christopher Saslo, D.N.S. ‘07, ARNP-BC-FAANP, currently works as the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer (AUSH-PCS/CNO). Dr. Saslo assumed this role in October 2022, and he serves as the principal executive for the oversight of nursing, social work, caregiver support, connected care, pharmacy, sterile processing, geriatrics and extended care, as well as population health, patient centered care and cultural transformation, physician assistants and rehabilitation and prosthetics.

Previously, Dr. Saslo also served as the Acting AUSH-PCS/CNO, the Acting Senior Advisor to the AUSH-PCS/CNO, and the Associate Director for Patient Care Services at Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System.

The Florida Atlantic alumnus has been a nurse for more than 37 years and has served the Veterans Health Administration for more than 27 years. He has worked in multiple areas, including ambulatory care as both a nurse practitioner and program manager, medicine service in the HIV and hepatology clinics and associate chief nurse for clinical practice in nursing. Additionally, he has served as the Past President for the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network and the local NP Council of Palm Beach County.

“I can’t thank my faculty mentors and fellow students enough from FAU during my pursuit of my doctoral degree,” expressed Dr. Saslo. “Were it not for the ongoing encouragement and support, this journey may not have yielded my ability to meet the demands of the program.”

Dr. Saslo holds a bachelor’s degree from Marywood University in Scranton, PA, his master’s from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA, and a Doctorate in Nursing from FAU. He has been actively involved at local and national levels, including his service as past Chair of the National Ethics Advisory for HIV/Hep C Clinical Case Registry.

“I am also eternally grateful [to FAU] for the ‘reboot’ to my learning opportunity and reminds me that as nurses, we are never done with the journey of learning and growth,” shared Dr. Saslo. “For our new nurses entering this profession, remember, we are the future of health care and each step we take, changes it forever!”