Michelle Laabs, MSN, FNP-C

Michelle Laabs, MSN, NP is the Associate Dean of Student Wellness at Concordia University Irvine, where she leads a broad portfolio of wellness initiatives encompassing mental health services, health education, crisis response, and care coordination. With nearly two decades of progressive leadership in higher education, Michelle is dedicated to building inclusive, student-centered systems that promote well-being, resilience, and academic achievement.

A board-certified nurse practitioner, Michelle brings a unique blend of clinical expertise and a public health perspective to her work in higher education. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing from California State University Fullerton and earned her Nurse Practitioner Certificate from the University of California Irvine School of Medicine. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines.

Michelle served as Region VI Representative (2023–2025) on the American College Health Association (ACHA) Board of Directors, and has long been an active leader within the Pacific Coast College Health Association (PCCHA), where she served as Immediate Past President (2020–2022), President (2019), and held multiple officer and conference leadership roles since 2010.

As a proud first-generation college graduate and immigrant, Michelle is especially passionate about fostering access, equity, and culturally responsive care in campus health. She is also committed to mentoring future healthcare leaders and driving broader institutional improvements that support the evolving needs of today’s students.

Michelle lives in California with her husband, Jeff; their children, Mark, Jeffrey, CJ and Hailey; and their beloved dogs, London, Stella, Bullet, and Blue. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, and family road trips, and is active in initiatives that promote leadership development and community wellness.