I am a native of Leake County, Mississippi, and currently live in Greenville, North Carolina, bringing nearly 25 years of nursing experience to my work. I serve as the inaugural Associate Dean for Engagement and Professional Development and as a Clinical Associate Professor at East Carolina University’s College of Nursing. I also serve as Executive Director for Advancement, where I lead the College’s first Advancement Office overseeing alumni affairs, communications, development, and events.
I am the co-founder and Vice President of the Board for the Network of Black Male Nurse Leaders, advancing mentorship, support, and advocacy for Black male nurses. My previous roles include Richards Endowed Graduate Nursing Chair and Research Development Coordinator at Brenau University, as well as Chief Community Health Officer at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
I earned my PhD in Nursing from Hampton University, hold an Executive Certificate in Leadership from the University of Notre Dame, and completed my nursing education at Meridian Community College and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. My research focuses on community-based care, men’s health, and eliminating health disparities. In 2023, I received a Faculty Scholar Grant from the Foundation for Academic Nursing to expand nursing representation among underserved youth in eastern North Carolina, with support from the American Nurses Association to extend this work into high schools.
In 2013, I was honored with the MSMA Wellness Promotion Award, and in 2024, I was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing—one of only ten fellows selected from North Carolina that year. I co-lead the Emerging Healthcare Scholars Leadership Institute, a local pipeline program for middle and high school students, and serve on several boards, including the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health, the National Advisory Committee for the Minority Fellowship Program, and the Nurses’ Health Study 3 Advisory Board (where I serve as Co-Chair). I also serve as Chair-Elect of AACN’s Access and Connection Leadership Network and as a Trustee for Horizons of Pitt County.
I contribute to the profession as Assistant Editor of the ABNF Journal and as a member of the Nursing Management editorial board. As a healthcare consultant, I offer expertise in nursing, research, and healthcare writing.
Outside of work, I enjoy gardening, collecting African art, and being an active member of Phi Beta Sigma, Inc. Above all, I am most proud to be the father of Mikayla, a college sophomore, and Dylan, a high school senior, who both reside in Byram, Mississippi.