Charlene Bolton, EdD, MSEd, MMS, PA-C

Dr. Bolton earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences from SUNY Binghamton in New York, followed by a Master of Science in Education with Advanced Certification in Guidance and Counseling from CUNY Brooklyn College. She began her career in New York City’s public school system, first as a teacher and then as a Guidance Counselor, a role she served in for several years before relocating to Florida in 2001.

Driven by a long-standing passion for medicine, Dr. Bolton made a career shift in 2002 and enrolled at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she earned both a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and a Master of Medical Science in 2004. Her clinical work as a physician assistant spanned Family Medicine, Cardiology, and Internal Medicine.

Her journey came full circle when she joined the faculty of the Physician Assistant Program at Nova Southeastern University–Jacksonville in 2013. Before being appointed Program Director in 2017, she served as Academic Director and Assistant Professor, where she merged her love for education and medicine to help shape future physician assistants into confident, competent, and compassionate healthcare professionals. Her commitment to excellence led her to earn a Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in 2018.

Beyond academia and medicine, Dr. Bolton has made a lasting impact through service and leadership. She has developed and led programs, workshops, and seminars for youth, women, and families through various church organizations. Her passion for leadership development led her to become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member, specializing in speaking, coaching, training, and DISC facilitation. She has delivered keynote speeches, led workshops, and facilitated small group sessions at conferences and events around the world.

She enjoys volunteering and has been impacted tremendously by each time she does. One of her most meaningful volunteer experiences was with Your Best Pathway to Health in San Antonio, Texas, where she was part of a team that provided free healthcare to over 6,000 uninsured patients.

Additionally, as a volunteer with the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation, Dr. Bolton has conducted leadership training for emerging leaders in Panama, Papua New Guinea, the Dominican Republic, and Tupelo, Mississippi. Her global and domestic engagements include leadership roundtables and presentations at institutions and organizations such as Nova Southeastern University, LifePoint Christian Fellowship, Ephesus SDA Church, Florida Conference of SDA, Women Business Owners of North Florida, Newport News Shipbuilding, ProVia, The Sycamore Church, Seguriasa (DR), and multiple call centers throughout the Dominican Republic.

She is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Physician Assistant Education Association.

In her personal time, Dr. Bolton enjoys writing, reading, creating online leadership content, and spending quality time with her family and friends.