Paula M. Crone, D.O.

As a national leader in health science education, Paula M. Crone, DO has dedicated much of her career to the success of her students, faculty, and staff. From advocating for students’ voices, to modelling shared governance with faculty, to leading standards and policy on healthcare workforce pipelines, Dr. Crone’s passion for her profession and the patients it serves firmly positioned her for success in her role as Interim Provost and Chief Academic Officer for Western University of Health Sciences. In addition, she serves as the Vice President for WesternU Oregon, providing executive leadership for the growth and expansion of Western University of Health Sciences’ Oregon campus and colleges.

In her previous role as Dean for the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) in Pomona, CA, and the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest (COMP-Northwest) in Lebanon, Oregon, her legacy as a dynamic and innovative dean of one of the largest medical schools in the nation garnered her executive positions on national platforms in medical and graduate education, healthcare policy, provider shortage strategy, mental health, and substance abuse. At a time when the stability of our healthcare workforce is more critical than ever, Dr. Crone remains committed to empowering faculty, staff, and administration in their pursuit of academic excellence and dedication to the learner experience.

As an alum of COMP herself, Dr. Crone has dedicated her career to the success of the university and its future healthcare professionals. Her leadership was integral to the founding of COMP-Northwest, serving as Founding Site Dean from its inception until 2013, when she was instated as Dean of COMP and COMP-Northwest and Vice President of the Oregon campus. A cornerstone in establishing COMP-Northwest was the medical staff of Eastmoreland Hospital in Portland, where Dr. Crone was the program director for the Family Medicine residency and trained DO physicians in the Pacific Northwest. She was the founding DO of a multi-physician primary care clinic in Portland, Oregon prior to joining WesternU in fulltime academic leadership.

Dr. Crone completed her residency in Family Medicine at Eastmoreland Hospital in Portland, Oregon. She earned her DO degree at COMP in 1992 and holds a BS in biology from the University of Portland. Dr. Crone’s husband, Paul Aversano, DO is a retired neurologist who also practiced at Eastmoreland Hospital and was founding faculty for COMP-Northwest. They spend their time between the Willamette Valley in Oregon and Coachella Valley in California.