Sheila R. Grigsby

University of Missouri - St. Louis

Biographical Abstracts

Since 1997, Dr. Sheila R. Grigsby has served as a Ph.D.-prepared nurse scientist, researcher, educator, patient advocate, and community catalyst. Her work centers on mobilizing communities of color to address persistent health disparities.

Grigsby leads and co-leads research projects focused on sexual health, HIV/AIDS, and other health disparities that directly affect Black communities. Her recent work emphasizes community partnership and participatory methods, including:

• Collaborating with Community Health Workers (CHWs)
• Using community-based participatory research (CBPR)
• Applying PhotoVoice methodology to help CHWs and their clients share their experiences in their own voices and words.

In 2022, Grigsby became founding director of the Community-Based Clinical Education Program, created to expand undergraduate nursing students’ exposure to community and public health settings beyond acute care.

With more than 40 community sites, the program broadens students’ understanding of nursing career pathways and highlights the vital role nurses play in community-based care.

Areas of Expertise

• HIV/AIDS prevention
• Chronic disease in Black communities
• Academic-community engagement and partnership