Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Yvonne Commodore-Mensah & Dr. Kamila Alexander

Happy Black History Month! Today and every day, I celebrate Black history, whether learning about iconic and influential educators, scholars, artists, and health care professionals, or exploring my blackness through independent choreographic studies. I find myself astounded at the strength and intersectionality of Black experiences. I am grateful to interact with faculty members at the School of Nursing who have continued to advance equitable and accessible health care for various patient populations. I am very excited to highlight Dr. Yvonne Commodore-Mensah and Dr. Kamila Alexander, full-time faculty members at the School of Nursing. Dr. Alexander and Dr. Commodore-Mensah are two out of five School of Nursing faculty members who are inaugural recipients of the Term Professorship for Rising Faculty, where they will receive funding over a three-year period to grow their research and increase their local, national, and global collaboration to advance their leadership within nursing and beyond.

Dr. Commodore-Mensah is someone who is very familiar with Johns Hopkins University. She graduated with her PhD in Nursing in 2014 and a Master of Health Science from the Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2019. With a joint appointment in the School of Nursing and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Commodore-Mensah has been a faculty member since 2016 and has served in various roles within the MSN Entry into Nursing and PhD in Nursing programs, such as Assistant Professor, Core Faculty, and now Associate Professor. Her community-engaged research explores the risk of cardiovascular disease among Africans domestically and internationally. While she is very engaged within the Hopkins community, Dr. Commodore-Mensah is also an involved member of the local Baltimore community. She serves as a Chair Member on the Howard County Racial Equity Task Force for Public Health and Environmental Policy.

Dr. Kamila Alexander is also very familiar with the School of Nursing. Dr. Alexander received her BSN from Hopkins in 2001, an MSN/MPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and the Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2006, and was a post-doctoral student in 2014, with a transition to serving as a faculty member in 2015. Dr. Alexander’s primary faculty appointment is with the School of Nursing. She is an Associate Professor and Associate Director of the PhD and Post-Doctoral programs within the School of Nursing. She has previously held a joint appointment at the Bloomberg School of Public Health under the Department of Population, Reproductive, and Family Health. The breadth and impact of Dr. Alexander’s practice and research are vast. Her research and practice explore the impact of trauma and violence amongst marginalized communities. Dr. Alexander is heavily involved in the community. She serves in many roles that focus on improving education and health outcomes for women, adolescents, and patient populations that may be at risk for HIV/AIDS and other STIs.

As I continue to learn and know the impact of Dr. Commodore-Mensah and Dr. Alexander on the Nursing profession, I am still in awe that these faculty members are colleagues. I enjoy seeing Dr. Commodore-Mensah and Dr. Alexander around the School of Nursing and striking up casual conversations. I look forward to continuing to get to know both faculty members more as I grow in my role within the Office of Admissions.

Learn more about Dr. Commodore-Mensah and Dr. Alexander in our Faculty Directory (jhu.edu).

About the Author: Alexander Murphy

Alexander Murphy is the Assistant Director for Diversity Initiatives and Healthcare Organizational Leadership Recruitment at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. Alexander is part of the admissions team.