Researcher, Nurse Practitioner, Professor, disability advocate. @DukeMedSchool @dukemargolis @UNCCIDD. She/Her/Dr. All opinions are my own.
North Carolina, USA
Joined March 2018
- Tweets4.1K
- Following4.4K
- Followers5.1K
- Likes15.2K
I’ve been creating something, and I’d love to share it with you! ✨
In December 2025, I founded Optimizing Health Collaborative (OHC)—bringing together my experience as a scientist, nurse practitioner, coach, and creativity liberator.
Take a look around: michellescotton.com
Through coaching, consulting, and speaking, I help people and organizations find clarity, make room for creativity, and build healthier, more inclusive ways to live and work.
Still savoring Iceland. 🇮🇸 Not just the memories and relationships that deepened, but the lessons and new perspectives I brought home.
Over the next week, I'll share a few moments that changed the way I saw something—and what I'm still learning from them.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is disappear for a minute.
Long pauses.
Deep work.
Salt air.
Perspective.
This weekend reminded me that clarity rarely comes from pushing harder.
It comes from creating enough space to hear yourself again. 🌊
#Leadership #Growth
Last night reminded me why sports matter so much more than the scoreboard.
Watching Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals with friends, surrounded by the energy, hope, disappointment, and resilience of the moment, was something I will never forget.
And maybe most importantly — there is always another opportunity ahead. Another game. Another chance to regroup, reconnect, and rise again.
There was something powerful about watching people experience both the highs and the hard moments together.
Today, I’m reflecting on the individuals and families whose lives have been forever shaped by service and sacrifice.
🤖 Made with AI
As someone who works at the intersection of health, leadership, and systems, I’m continually reminded that caring well for people requires us to see the full context of their experiences, both visible and invisible.
Remembering with gratitude today.
There’s something about New Mexico—the vast skies, the quiet strength of the land, the way the light settles differently here that invites me to slow down and really see.
Tucked inside my friend Marlyn’s home, I’ve found the coziest corner to write, think, create and work remotely. The kind of space that feels both grounding and expansive at the same.
Honored to keynote TraumaCon 2026 with the Society of Trauma Nurses today!
Incredible global audience, powerful discussion, and meaningful connections.
25 years ago I worked in the ER—this felt like coming home.
And that sunset dinner at Lake Travis! 🌅
Providers & clinical team members — join us tomorrow!
The I/DD Deeper Dive: Supporting Children with Autism & I/DD in Clinic and Beyond series kicks off March 3.
🗓 Tuesdays | March 3–June 9
⏰ 12:10–1:00 PM (virtual)
🎓 Up to 6 CEUs
Designed for NC primary care teams who want practical, case-informed strategies for caring for children with autism & I/DD — from diagnostics to transition to adulthood.
Register once for all sessions:
🔗 NCPAL.org (yellow banner)
Hope to see you there