2025 Brain Health Equity Fellowship
Applications open November 18, 2024 - January 5, 2025
2025 Fellowship Program Dates: February 2025 - September 2025
Applications are now open for the Brain Health Equity Fellowship! The fellowship, which is supported by the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), National Black Nurses Association (NBNA), UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Center for Brain Health Equity and the CDC, will train a cohort of nurse professionals to be brain health ambassadors. Early career candidates, including nursing students, are encouraged to apply!
The fellowship will run from February to September 2025 and require a commitment of approximately 25-28 hours total. Fellows will receive a $2,000 stipend (upon completion of program milestones) and opportunities to receive CNE credit hours. The Fellowship program is designed to achieve the following objectives:
- Improve Knowledge: Provide you with tailored continuing education on Alzheimer’s and related dementias to address brain health knowledge gaps.
- Cultivate Leadership: Provide you with the leadership skills and content needed to promote tailored brain health education among your peers and in your community.
- Facilitate Networking: Connect you to a national network of nurses and experts working at the intersections of brain health, public health, and health equity to create opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Be a nurse or a student enrolled in an accredited nursing program
- Be a current member of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) or National Black Nurses Association (NBNA)
- Special consideration will be given to early career candidates (including nursing students) and nurses who work in community health centers!
Application Requirements:
- Fill out an online application by Jan. 5, 2025. No late applications will be accepted.
- Submit your current resume/CV
- Optional letter of endorsement from your local NAHN/NBNA chapter
I encourage you to learn more here and apply today!
Congratulations to the 2025 Brain Health Equity Fellows
Please join us in congratulating the NAHN members selected for the 2025 Brain Health Equity Fellowship:
Francisco Brenes Ph. D., APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Florida International University
Miami, FL
As the program leader at Florida International University, Dr. Francisco Brenes has played a significant role in graduating over 280 psychiatric nurse practitioners and 20 DNP students. His success stems from his commitment to developing and implementing quality improvement projects that enhance psychiatric care outcomes among diverse populations. Beyond his academic achievements, Francisco’s research addresses critical issues such as suicide disparities, stigma of mental illness, the use of herbal medicines, and spirituality within Hispanic/Latinx communities, including undocumented immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. His work seeks to create a more inclusive understanding of the behavioral health challenges faced by underserved populations. Dr. Francisco Brenes has taken on numerous leadership roles within the community, further extending his influence and making substantial contributions to mental health initiatives. His efforts have not only revolutionized the field of psychiatric nursing but have also improved the lives of countless individuals in need of psychological health care and emotional support. Through his dedication to excellence, innovation, and community engagement, Francisco’s achievements make him a deserving recipient of this prestigious fellowship.
Daniel Cox, ARNP
Community Health of Central Washington
Yakima, WA
I started my career in Biomedical Engineering and Microbiology research before teaching high school science and eventually combining my passions of learning and helping others by becoming a nurse and then nurse practitioner. I have been honored to serve with Federally Qualified Health Centers, the National Institutes of Health, and Teach for America. I strive to provide quality healthcare through educational empowerment and service. I have a wonderful family. My wife and children are amazing. They support me, challenge me to be a better person, and give my life its best parts.
Nora Hernandez-Pupo PhD, RN, TNCC
Nevada State University Henderson, Nevada
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-nora-hernandez-pupo-phd-rn-tncc-928117a8
Dr. Hernandez-Pupo has been in the nursing profession for over 25 years. She comes with a wealth of clinical and academic experience. Dr. Hernandez-Pupo has adult and pediatric trauma and emergency room experience. She has worked in multiple healthcare settings from telemetry, ICU, NICU, and administrative and managerial roles. She traveled for over two years up and down the East Coast of the United States working in various units and settings. Within the HCA healthcare system, she worked within their Emergency Rooms, Cath Lab; and then later she worked as their Clinical Nurse Manager in their CPCU Progressive Care Unit. She also worked for a time with the Osceola County Health Department revamping their clinics and patient care delivery systems. Dr. Hernandez-Pupo has also worked in Telehealth and Virtual Client management. She has worked for Baptist Health as Sr. Supervisor of their stand-alone Urgent Care Centers and later as their Plaza Manager for Diagnostics and Urgent Care Centers.
Dr. Hernandez-Pupo has taught at several institutions within the Central and South Florida Region. Before coming to Nevada State University in the Fall of 2022, she worked at Barry University College of Nursing and Health Sciences for 7 years where she served as Assistant Professor and Program Director for the UG BSN Nursing Program.
Dr. Hernandez-Pupo serves at the local and national levels of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). She has served as president, secretary, and treasurer of the Miami Chapter of NAHN. She is currently the co-chair of the National Education Committee. Dr. Hernandez-Pupo is the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society’s President of the local Zeta Kappa At-Large Chapter. She has presented at local and international conferences and strives to work collaboratively with her colleagues to promote the nursing profession.
As an experienced administrator and faculty, she seeks opportunities to strengthen the collaboration between the nursing profession, students, and professional organizations. Her administrative, educational, and community approach centers on fostering success, innovation, inclusiveness, and engagement. Her goal is to promote these opportunities through creativity, transparency, and consensus building with an emphasis on understanding the different perspectives.
Zobeyda M. Otero, RN
Samuel Merritt University, Roots Community Health,
Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
Oakland, CA
https://www.facebook.com/flowerblozzom
https://www.instagram.com/zobeydaaa/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zobeyda-m-otero-a1868992/
I’m a First-Gen Latina Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner (ELMSN-FNP) Student at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, California. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. What first brought me to northern California was college. I graduated from UC Davis in 2012 and returned to the Bay Area in 2014. I currently work as a Registered Nurse for Roots Community Health in Oakland, CA, and as a Research Coordinator at Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research. As a bilingual healthcare professional, I aim to bridge language barriers among my patients. My aspiration as a nurse and as a future Family Nurse Practitioner is to use my extensive research background to improve healthcare outcomes for the members of my community through disease prevention, guidance, education, and disease management. Lastly, I am also a stroke survivor. I survived a Hemorrhagic Stroke due to an AVM rupture in 2022. It’s my goal to take everything I learn as a Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellow, along with my experience as both a patient and now a healthcare provider, to empower my patients in their healthcare journeys and to lift my fellow healthcare providers with the knowledge, and tools to become the best advocates for their patients and communities.
Alexa Perez, BA
DePaul University School of Nursing
Chicago, IL
My name is Alexa Perez, a first-generation Mexican-American graduate student pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). With a B.A. in Sociology and Public Health, I am dedicated to providing culturally competent care that addresses systemic inequities. Witnessing my grandmother's battle with dementia has profoundly impacted me, revealing the emotional, physical, and financial challenges faced by families. This personal experience has fueled my passion for promoting brain health and advocating for Alzheimer's awareness, aiming to support affected individuals and their loved ones. As an active member of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), I strive to empower others and drive meaningful change through service, research, and advocacy.
Jenny Vergara, RN-BC, ACRN
The Brooklyn Hospital Center
Brooklyn, NY
Jenny Vergara, a board-certified HIV/AIDS nurse, has devoted her career to advancing community health and health equity for underserved BIPOC and LGBTQ+ populations. Her unwavering commitment to de-stigmatizing HIV has driven her to collaborate with various community organizations, creating safe spaces for open dialogue on sexual health. Jenny’s focus also extends to HIV care in aging populations and the impact of co-morbidities. Currently, she is an infectious disease RN, providing comprehensive ambulatory and primary care to pediatric and adult patients. Jenny's nursing practice is deeply rooted in compassion and empathy. Her extensive experience in hospice and palliative care has reinforced her belief in holistic, patient-centered care that extends to the family. She is dedicated to supporting her patients in all aspects of their lives, understanding that these factors significantly impact their health outcomes. Jenny is a proud graduate of the CUNY- College of Staten Island’s School of Nursing and an elected member of the Nomination Committee for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN-NY).
2024 Brain Health Equity Fellows
Congratulations to the NAHN Members selected for the 2024 Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellowship!
- Sandra Calderon, Carmichael, CA
- Irene Lares, Edinburg, TX
- Missy Moore, Washington, DC
- Justine Obiakor, Fontana, CA
- Kiba Ortiz, Princeton, TX
- Mavely Penzo, New York, NY
- Liliana Trespalacios, Mundelein, IL
2023 Brain Health Equity Fellows
Congratulations to the NAHN Members selected for the 2023 Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellowship!
- Roberto Molina Bon, Dunellen, NJ
- Sara Yvonne Jimenez, El Paso, TX
- Jennifer Sandoval, Chicago, IL
- Abraham Vargas Moreno, San Bernardino, CA
- Janelle Eradiri, Freeport, NY
- Lorena Perez, Chula Vista, CA
2022 NAHN Brain Health Equity Fellows
- Mia Alcala, DNP, RN, CNS, CEN - Oakdale, CA
- Susana Gonzalez, MHA, MSN, RN, CNML - Chicago, IL
- Mario Peregrino, Student - Los Angeles, CA
- Maria Perez, PhD, RNC-OB, LHRM, CHEP, HC - Hialeah, FL
- Dyanne Rodriguez, DNP, RN, MPH - Edmonton, Canada
- Luz Santana, MSN, RN, CMCN, ACRN, CGMT-BC, CDMS, CCM - Brooklyn, NY
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