Kelly Baird-Cox, DNP, RN, CPNP-PC, CPEN, CEN, TCRN, NEA-BC, CENP

Chief Nursing Officer & Vice President of Patient Care Services

Kelly Baird-Cox, DNP, RN, serves as Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services at Henry Ford Hospital, where she oversees nursing strategy and practice across the flagship hospital and advances a culture grounded in belonging, clinical excellence, and professional growth.

Dr. Baird-Cox has more than 35 years of progressive clinical and executive leadership experience across academic and complex healthcare settings. She began her career at the bedside and advanced through roles including Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and senior nursing executive. Before joining Henry Ford Hospital, she served as Chief Nursing Officer for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital at University of Michigan Health, where she led a Magnet-designated, unionized organization through periods of growth, transformation, and operational complexity.

Known for her people-centered, relationship-based leadership style, Dr. Baird-Cox is committed to creating environments where nurses feel seen, valued, supported, and empowered to practice at the highest level. She believes psychological safety and belonging are essential to clinical excellence and that investing in nurses directly improves outcomes for patients and families.

Dr. Baird-Cox is deeply committed to developing future nurse leaders and focuses on building leadership pipelines, advancing evidence-based practice, strengthening academic partnerships, and fostering innovation through research and clinical scholarship. She is equally committed to advancing quality, safety, and patient experience while promoting collaboration across disciplines.

Dr. Baird-Cox holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and multiple national clinical and executive certifications. She is honored to serve alongside the Henry Ford Hospital team and is deeply committed to caring for the Detroit community by ensuring that every patient and every nurse feel respected, supported, and connected to a shared purpose.