Faculty

Dr. Jean Davis’ passion for community health promotion grew from listening to her aunt and her mother, both nurses, discuss and solve community health challenges when she was a child. Today the Fellow of the National Academies of Practice, Jonas Veterans Healthcare Scholar, and associate professor at the UCF College of Nursing channels her passion into research that focuses on physical activity support, promotion and habit formation to improve health and patient outcomes hindered by social determinants of health. Davis is particularly interested in susceptible populations, including Black pregnant people, persons with diabetes, cancer survivors, and veterans. Her clinical foci are severe maternal health, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes and cancer. She promotes health and well-being as a Duke Health-trained Health & Well-Being Coach. In addition to her faculty appointment, Davis serves as an advanced practice registered nurse scientist for the Veterans Health Administration and volunteer family nurse practitioner and population health clinical nurse specialist with Remote Area Medical nationally, and with DOCare internationally. Davis also serves as an accreditation site visitor for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Education

• PhD, University of Central Florida
• DNP, Florida Atlantic University
• Family Nurse Practitioner Post-master’s Certificate, Barry University
• EdD in Higher Education, Nova Southeastern University
• MS, Nursing in Community/Population Health CNS, Rutgers University
• BS, Nursing, Rutgers University

Selected Editorial Activities

• Reviewer, MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing
• Reviewer, The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care
• Reviewer, Translational Behavioral Medicine: Practice, Policy, Research
• Reviewer, JOGNN: Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing

Selected Awards & Honors

• Outstanding Nurse Practitioner Educator Award, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, 2025
• Distinguished Fellow, National Academies of Practice in Nursing, 2024
• Steven P. Hooker Research Award Finalist, American Public Health Association, 2024
• Noble Knight Nurse Award, Service Category, UCF College of Nursing, 2020
• Jonas Veterans Healthcare Scholar, Jonas Foundation, 2016-2019

Selected Professional Activities

• Governing Councilor, American Public Health Association, Physical Activity Section
• Immediate Past Chair Community and Public Health and & Health Promotion Research Interest & Implementation Group, Southern Nursing research Society
• Chair Ethics Special Interest Group, Florida Nurses Association