Mentoring & Internships

Dr. Alexander is a committed mentor for students, faculty, community members, and other emerging scholars. She has mentored over 10 interdisciplinary pre and postdoctoral trainees, guiding innovative foundational research projects that have resulted in more than 25 peer-reviewed publications and national conference presentations.

As a graduate of Howard University, she is especially dedicated to mentoring emerging interdisciplinary scientists from underrepresented backgrounds, mentoring at least 5 predoctoral students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Introducing some amazing student scholars Dr. Alexander is currently mentoring…

  • PhD Candidate, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

    Dissertation: Evaluating the influence of risk perception and cultural worldviews on HPV vaccination intention among Haitian immigrant women living with HIV

    Dr. Alexander’s Role: Primary Advisor and Research Mentor

    “My background as a clinician and researcher is in HIV prevention and management. My interests are in cervical cancer prevention among women living with HIV in local and global settings.”

  • PhD Candidate, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

    Dissertation: Understanding risk factors, including substance use, for recurrent assault-related injury

    Dr. Alexander’s Role: Dissertation committee member and NIH F31 Consultant

    “I am passionate about better understanding how structural inequities such as structural racism, policies, practices, and social determinants of health shape the racial and gender disparities we see in violent injury. Dr. Alexander has worked closely with me to design and carry out my dissertation study.”

  • PhD Candidate, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

    Dissertation: Understanding the impact of post-separation abuse on children’s health and flourishing

    Dr. Alexander’s Role: Dissertation Committee Member and Research Mentor

    “My research focuses on the intersection of IPV and child maltreatment, IPV-related homicides of women and children, structural determinants of health and safety such as judicial decision-making and risk assessment, as well as interventions that promote safety, resiliency, and recovery from trauma.”

  • PhD Student, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

    Dissertation: Take Charge Study: Sexual Health Services Designed By You for You

    Dr. Alexander’s Role: Dissertation Committee Member and Research Mentor

    “Over 10-years healthcare experience illuminated the devastating impact of ignoring the factors that impact the sexual and reproductive health of Black women. As an emerging scholar, I am passionate about enriching the health of Black women. I joined this team to collaborate with other scholars and experts who center women in their work. My research focuses on designing a community informed intervention to enrich the sexual reproductive health of Black women, while simultaneously preventing new cases of HIV/STIs.”

  • PhD Student, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

    Dissertation: Hablemos de Ti: Engagement in Care and Emotional Support in the context of Interpersonal Trauma among Latino immigrant men living with HIV

    Dr. Alexander’s Role: Dissertation Committee Member and Research Mentor

    “My experience as a victim of violence while living in Central America and the experiences of trauma and social isolation among the Latinx immigrants that I cared for as a nurse have given me a passion to promote psychosocial and emotional health among Latino immigrant men. Dr. Alexander has advised and guided my dissertation project through her expertise in qualitative methodology and psychosocial health promotion among racial and sexual minorities.”

  • PhD Alumus, Johns Hopkins University

    Assistant Professor, Marquette University College of Nursing

    Dr. Alexander’s Role: Research Mentor

    “My program of research focuses on the intersection of violence and the sexual and reproductive health of women who sell sex and women who use drugs. I was privileged to have Dr. Alexander as my PhD advisor, and we have continued our mentorship relationship focused on addressing the complex issues facing marginalized women who experience violence.”

  • Postdoctoral Alumnus, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

    Assistant Professor, Ohio State University College of Public Health

    Dr. Alexander’s Role: Research Mentor

    “My research focuses on understanding and using strengths-based and community-based approaches to improve the sexual and mental health of young people and their families. My current work examines how resilience, trauma, health behaviors, and social contexts influence sexual and mental health outcomes among girls and young women, particularly those with marginalized identities. Ultimately, I aim to use my research findings to develop and implement culturally-relevant trauma-informed interventions and to create structural change by informing policy.“

Dominique Guillaume, MSN, AGPCNP-BC, ACRN

Lea Marineau, MSN, ANP-BC, CNE

Katie Spearman, MSN

Brenice Duroseau, MSN, FNP-C, RNC-OB, AAHIVS

Owen Woodfield Smith, BSN

Jessica L. Zemlak, PhD, MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC

Ashleigh LoVette, PhD

Coming in 2023!

We’ll be launching the Hopkins Pathway to PhD program. This program will support summer & post-baccalaureate students from backgrounds underrepresented in academia to pursue PhDs in nursing.

Dr. Alexander is currently a mentor for the following programs.

  • CFAR Generation Tomorrow Summer Health Disparity Scholars Program

    Designed for undergraduate students interested in HIV and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) health disparities and their intersection with substance use (addiction and overdose), violence, mental health, and the social determinants of health. Learn more

  • Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement (RISE) Fellowship Program

    Supporting public health research and professional development in infectious diseases and health disparities, focusing on increasing knowledge and interest in public health research careers among students from underrepresented populations. Learn more.

  • CFAR Nursing Mid-Atlantic CFAR Consortium

    Comprised of the JHU, DC and Penn CFARS, the consortium was formed in May 2014 in response to a shared concern about the HIV epidemic among black MSM, and in particular young black MSM, in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. Recently, the group has broadened its focus to a consideration of Latinx and HIV. Learn more.

Dr. Alexander is currently accepting mentees.