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Kerry-Ann Dixon

A desire to serve her community and a passion for nursing inspired Kerry-Ann Dixon, MSN, RN, IMH-E® to pursue a Ph.D. program in Health Equity at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing.

Dixon, who plans to complete the program in spring 2027, serves as a Program Performance Officer at the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County.

A former educator with the Palm Beach School District, Dixon originally considered a career as a Speech Language Pathologist. After a couple of setbacks, she was in the process of introspection and soul-searching when her father, Mel Dixon, suggested nursing might be a good fit for her goals and interests.

“I had an affinity for caring for others,” she shared. “At the same time, I was reading John Ortberg’s book If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat, so I ultimately took a leap of faith, and changed careers to nursing.”

Dixon graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from ����ý, and an associate degree in nursing from Palm Beach State College, followed by a master's of science in nursing (MSN) degree from University of Central Florida.

Her research area focuses on the lived experience of Black fathers in the perinatal phase, noting that their involvement has an impact on the health of the parents and child.

“There is a gap in the research on the experience of Black fathers during the perinatal period,” she explained, “While pregnant women are asked to advocate for themselves during this time when they are in the most vulnerable state, the fathers do not receive the same message.”

Dixon believes that by learning more about the fathers' experiences and how they would like to be included, nursing professionals can ensure that they are part of the perinatal period and equip them to advocate for their families, regardless of relationship status, helping to reduce the Black maternal and infant mortality rates.

Dixon’s mentor, Dr. Dawn Hawthorne, is providing her guidance in caring science and research, and encouraged her to present at the International Association of Human Caring Conference.

“She is always a phone call away to discuss ideas,” Dixon said, adding that Dr. Harleen Hutchinson, founding executive director of The Journey Institute Inc., is also a mentor and has supported Dixon’s interest in infant mental health and ways to elevate her practice with families.

During her time in the Ph.D. program, Dixon received the Palm Health Foundation Scholarship, Charles Norton Adams Nursing Endowment, DeLisle Memorial Scholarship, Florida Atlantic Ph.D. Scholarship, Anne Boykin Institute Summer Academy Scholarship and Center of Nursing Philosophy's 2024 Philosophical Writing Through Critical Reading Workshop assistance at the University of California.

Now a chair of Riviera Beach Health Initiative which provides comprehensive health care services to local residents, Dixon also volunteers in the community with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., participating in multiple projects.

“Having my Ph.D. in Nursing along with my Infant Mental Health Endorsement will provide me with the credentials to directly drive equitable changes in health care,” Dixon stated.