IRHWC Bios

Kathy Baldwin, PhD, RN

Dr. Baldwin is Associate Professor, Department of Public Health, Mental Health, & Administrative Studies in Nursing, UIC College of Nursing. She has been Coordinator of Public Health Nursing, since 2002. She also has an adjunct appointment in the Epidemiology/Biostatistics Department of the School of Public Health. Prior to her faculty appointments at UIC, Dr. Baldwin taught public health nursing at Illinois Wesleyan University and Sangamon State University. Dr. Baldwin also has worked in local health departments in both staff and administrative positions.

Dr. Baldwin’s graduate education was at the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing; her undergraduate work at Bradley University. Her research focuses on (a) nurse workforce issues, particularly as they relate to public health nursing, and (b) HIV/AIDS program evaluation and policy.

Dr. Baldwin currently is principal investigator on two federal nurse education grants funded by HRSA. In the first of these, Dr. Baldwin created a structured partnership between public health nursing (PHN) education and practice leaders throughout the state to focus on formal education, workforce enhancement programs, and leadership issues for PHNs throughout the state. The second grant, an outgrowth of the first, focuses on developing (a) a mentored BSN program for public/community health paraprofessionals, (b) a MS entry program in population-focused nursing, and (c) a doctorate of nursing practice in population-focused nursing. Dr. Baldwin has conducted Illinois state surveys on both the RN and LPN workforces. Her most recent research focuses on the competency of PHNs in local health department and university faculties. Dr. Baldwin’s current HIV/AIDS research focuses on preventing secondary transmission of HIV and Illinois state policy development.