Dr. Fayron Epps is an Associate Professor, tenured, and joined the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in August 2019. She has over 20 years of nursing experience. Dr. Epps completed her doctoral degree in Nursing from Southern University and A&M College. She has a Master of Science degree in Nursing (Health Care Systems Management) from Loyola University New Orleans and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Tuskegee University. In 2015, she completed her postdoctoral fellowship with the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence. She is a 2018-2019 Tideswell Emerging Leaders in Aging Scholar. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Southern Gerontological Society, Alzheimer’s Association Georgia Chapter, and Meals on Wheels Atlanta. She also serves on the Leadership Core of the Public Health Center of Excellence in Dementia Caregiving at the University of Minnesota. Her career goal as a nurse scholar is to promote the quality of life for families affected by dementia through research, education, and service. Her program of research involves evidence-based practices for promoting quality of life for African Americans with dementia and their family caregivers. She is particularly interested in exploring ways religious activities and spiritual connectedness can promote meaningful engagement among persons with dementia. Dr. Epps oversees several faith-based and psychoeducation research projects, such as “Faith-HAT”, “Dementia-Friendly Online Worship”, and “Caregiving while Black”. Her research has been sponsored by federal and private funding agencies. Dr. Epps is also the founder of the only nurse-led dementia friendly congregation program, Alter. For this program, Dr. Epps and her interdisciplinary team partner with African American faith communities to provide them with the necessary tools and resources needed to support families facing dementia.
