Phyllis Sharps, PhD, RN, FAAN, is Professor Emerita, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.

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Dr. Sharps is a globally recognized nurse scientist, educator, and policy advocate whose groundbreaking work has transformed maternal and infant health, particularly among women of color affected by intimate partner violence (IPV). With a career spanning over four decades, Dr. Sharps has advanced evidence-based, nurse-led interventions, reshaped health policy, and mentored generations of underrepresented nursing scholars and leaders.

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Dr. Sharps began her nursing career in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, where she served as an active-duty and Reserve officer. Her military service sharpened her leadership skills and illuminated disparities in maternal health outcomes among women of color, even within the military health care systems offering universal access. Driven by a commitment to equity and justice, she created a board-approved practical nursing program for Army Reserve Schools, enabling over 500 enlisted medical personnel, many from underrepresented backgrounds, to become licensed practical nurses and advance their careers.

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As a nurse researcher, Dr. Sharps is best known for developing the DOVE (Domestic Violence Enhanced Home Visitation) intervention, a National Institutes of Health-funded, nurseled, community-based program that addresses IPV during pregnancy through home visits. Unlike other models, DOVE empowers women to make informed safety decisions, often in collaboration with prenatal providers and domestic violence advocates. The program has been adopted in multiple U.S. states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, and Australia, significantly improving maternal and infant health outcomes and reducing abuse.

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Dr. Sharps’ influence on national and global policy is profound. Her work has been cited in major public health guidelines, including those from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s IPV Prevention Resource. She co-authored pivotal studies linking IPV to maternal mortality, suicide, and overdose, helping elevate IPV as a key social determinant of health. Her scholarship, which includes over 100 peer-reviewed articles and 10 book chapters, has earned over 5,500 citations and shaped protocols in health systems across the world.

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Beyond research, Dr. Sharps has profoundly impacted community health. As the former Elsie M. Lawler Endowed Chair at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, she led the development of three nurse-led community health centers in East Baltimore, including services at a shelter for abused women and children. These centers not only improved access to care but also provided realworld training for students in medicine, nursing, and public health.

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A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Dr. Sharps has mentored hundreds of minority students and faculty through initiatives like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Minority Fellowship Program, and the Minority Health International Research Training Program. Her mentorship has produced deans, researchers, and national nursing leaders.

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Her numerous accolades include the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research President’s Award, Sigma Theta Tau International Research Hall of Fame induction, and the National League for Nursing Lillian Wald Humanitarian Award. Whether through science, policy, mentorship, or practice, Dr. Sharps exemplifies the highest ideals of nursing.

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Dr. Sharps earned her BSN and PhD from the University of Maryland Baltimore, and a MSN from the University of Delaware. She was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2003. Her visionary leadership has not only improved outcomes for vulnerable women and children but has also reshaped the landscape of maternal health equity and nursing education for generations to come.