People Group Archives: Population Health: Minority Health

Linda Foley is a certified nurse educator and associate lecturer at UCF’s College of Nursing. Her clinical experience has spanned various healthcare settings, including critical care, medical-surgical acute care, community health and home healthcare. She began her role as a nurse educator during her doctoral studies and discovered a passion for teaching undergraduate pre-licensure BSN […]

Marissa “Mari” Mackiewicz is an assistant professor at UCF’s College of Nursing and a nurse scientist whose work focuses on ensuring all older adults have access to healthcare. Her research interests include substance use disorders and unmet oral health needs in older adult populations. Prior to joining UCF, Mackiewicz held post-doctoral positions at the University […]

Jenna M. Wheeler is an assistant professor at UCF’s College of Nursing. As a practicing registered nurse with nearly 15 years of experience in the neonatal intensive care unit, she has witnessed firsthand the effect of preterm birth on families. Wheeler’s research focuses on the mother-father relationship and mental health during pregnancy utilizing a mixed […]

Lecturer Caroline M. Griffin’s nursing career began in the rural Andes of Ecuador, where she volunteered for two years with the Peace Corps. Afterward, she worked as bedside nurse in a wide variety of inpatient and outpatient settings in the U.S. As a family nurse practitioner, she has provided care mainly to underserved populations in […]

Janet Lopez is an assistant professor at UCF’s College of Nursing and a nurse scientist dedicated to promoting healthy aging. Her work focuses on improving outcomes for older adults, caregivers and veterans, with particular attention to rural and underserved communities. Her research and scholarship integrates community-engaged approaches to address fall risk, frailty, mental health and […]

As a critical care- and case management-trained registered nurse, a military veteran and dependent, and a food pantry volunteer, Jennifer M. Crook had the opportunity to work in multiple states in the U.S. where she identified not only the existence of widespread food and nutritional insecurity but a connection between nutrition, chronic inflammation and chronic […]

UCF College of Nursing Lecturer Fayshonda Cooks has been a registered nurse for more than 30 years and public health leader for more than 20. She created the CommUNITY CollaborACTION Initiative, which emphasizes collaborative unity and action to improve health outcomes. Cooks is a known collaboration champion with belief in the strength and limitless potential […]

Carmen Giurgescu is a UCF Pegasus Professor, the Chatlos Foundation Endowed Chair and associate dean of research at UCF’s College of Nursing, which is named among the nation’s top nursing schools for NIH funding. Giurgescu is a world-renowned maternal health researcher who focuses her efforts on reducing preterm births to improve outcomes for new mothers […]

Healthy aging; fall prevention in older adults; and aging education.

Gerontology; Chronic disease management; Diabetes care across the age span; Transitional care needs of older adults and family caregivers.