Overview
Dr. Powell is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. She has served as Secretary and a member of the Board of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. In addition, she has served on several national advisory councils including the National Institute of Nursing Research, the National Center on Research Resources, the National Advisory Council on Nursing Education and Practice, and Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research. Her dominant area of scholarly study and publications is environmental justice.
Beyond academic and administrative roles, much of Dr. Powell’s career has incorporated service to the community, particularly low income and minority communities. A significant facet of her community work has been her involvement with the homeless population in Washington, DC. In that capacity, she provided leadership to the development of a convalescent unit for homeless individuals in a large shelter. She was also responsible for the development of a unique career training program, Nursing Careers for Homeless People, which has won national recognition. Through this program, nearly 90 previously homeless men and women were trained for careers in nursing ranging from nursing assistants to RNs with Bachelor of Science degrees.
Since the late 1980s, Dr. Powell has been engaged in international development work. This work has been primarily focused in southern Africa. She has provided technical assistance and consultation on primary health care development to ministries of health, schools of nursing, hospitals and health care systems in Swaziland, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa.
In Dr. Powell’s current position as the Associate Dean of the Office of Global and Community Health Initiatives at Duke University, she is responsible for developing and facilitating educational, research, and community service programs to reduce health disparities in Durham, in North Carolina, and in countries around the world. Her international work has targeted the Caribbean, Central America, Africa, and parts of Asia.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Winston-Salem State University and Duke University's Bridge to the Doctorate Program.
Journal Article North Carolina medical journal · January 2014 To address the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in research-focused nursing doctoral programs, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Division of Nursing has partnered with Duke University School of Nursing to establish a Bridge to the Doctorate pro ... Full text CiteGlobal health diplomacy: An integrative review of the literature and implications for nursing
Journal Article Nursing Outlook · 2013 The increasing interconnectedness of the world and the factors that affect health lay the foundation for the evolving practice of global health diplomacy. There has been limited discussion in the nursing literature about the concept of global health diplom ... Full text CitePillars for the care of older persons in the Caribbean.
Journal Article Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.) · January 2012 Pillars for the Care of Older Persons in the Caribbean: A Comprehensive Community-Based Framework (Pillars) is a hybrid of multiple public health frameworks developed through community-based participatory research processes. Health and social service profe ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Making a Difference in Nursing II
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Health Resources and Service Administration · 2010 - 2013Creating a National Model for Nurse Educator Preparation at the Master's Level
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEFaculty Member · Awarded by Health Resources and Service Administration · 2009 - 2012The Millennium Development Goals: Will Developing Countries Meet Them by 2015
ConferencePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation · 2009 - 2012View All Grants