About Dr. Mike!

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Hello! My name is Michael L. Jones, PhD, MBA/HCM, RN (Dr. Mike). I created this blog to educate, encourage, inspire, and motivate my readers through the written word. Allow me to tell you about myself. 

I am a native of Leake County, Mississippi and currently serve as the inaugural Associate Dean for Culture, Engagement, and Professional Development as well as Clinical Associate Professor for the East Carolina University College of Nursing, which is in Greenville, North Carolina. I also serve as a Co-Founder of the Network of Black Male Nurse Leaders, which is designed to empower black male nurses by providing a robust support system, offering mentorship opportunities, and advocating for professional growth. 

Prior to serving in my current roles, I served as Richards Endowed Graduate Nursing Chair, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Research Development Coordinator for the Mary Inez Grindle School of Nursing at Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia. I also serve as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Hampton University School of Nursing. Over my 24-year career, I have worked tireless to address health disparities and inequities such as during my tenure as Chief Community Health Officer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. In this role, I worked to improve relationships between the sole academic medical center in the state of Mississippi and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Additionally, I worked alongside the Office of Multicultural Affairs to manage programs aimed at ensuring minority students received equity in the educational offerings at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. I completed my initial college coursework at East Central Community College. I received my formal nursing education at Meridian Community and the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing. I earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing from Hampton University, becoming the first African American male to graduate from their PhD program and the first African American male to graduate from an HBCU with a PhD in Nursing. I serve on several local, state, and national boards and committees including Board of Directors for the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health where I serve as founding Board Treasurer. I am a Past Chair of the National Advisory Panel on Clinical Trials for the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), which is a congressionally mandated organization. Additionally, I serve as a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Minority Fellowship Program, which is sponsored by the American Nurses Association and the Substance abuse Mental Health Services Administration. I was recently appointed as an Advisory Board Member for the Nurses’ Health Study 3, which is managed by the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. 

I was the recipient of the 2023 Faculty Scholar Grant by the Foundation for Academic Nursing, which is an arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Through this award, I am conducting research to understand the perspectives of middle school students, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors related to pursuing nursing as a profession. Additionally, I was funded by the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing (American Nurses Association) to conduct research to understand the perspectives of high school students, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors related to pursuing nursing as a profession. The goal of both awards is to increase the number of individuals from underrepresented populations in the nursing profession. 

I serve as an Assistant Editor for the Association of Black Nursing Faculty Foundation Journal as well as a member of the Editorial Board for Nursing Management – The Journal of Excellence in Nursing Leadership. I serve as an independent nursing, healthcare, and research content writer where he develops instructional materials for various organizations. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening and collecting African art. I am a proud member of the Phi Beta Sigma, Inc.

I was recently selected to be a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, one of the highest accomplishments of the nursing profession, and will be inducted in November 2024!