Dr. Michelle Davenport, DNP, MSN, PHN, FCN

I attribute my success to my great-grandmother, Flossie Washington, who raised me and taught me that people can take everything away from you - your house, your car, your money - but they can never take away your education. She was a woman with only an 8th grade education who couldn't even read, but she became a business owner and bought her own brownstone in New York City with cash money. She taught me to save, to never give up, and to always give back to others. Even when my children's father beat me and made me quit medical school, even when I was told I would never be successful, I kept hearing my great-grandmother's voice saying 'Do. Not. Give. Up. Never give up. Keep reaching for your goals.' I also credit my spiritual mother who I was blessed with when I moved to Minnesota over 30 years ago. She never judged me, was so supportive, and helped me raise my children and grandchildren. Both of these women gave me something to give back to this world, and they live in me today. My faith in God has also been essential - as the Bible says, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. I had to go through all those trials and tribulations, including surviving rape, beatings, a stroke, and COVID, to get to where I'm at today and to be able to help others.

The best career advice I ever received came from my great-grandmother, Flossie Washington, who taught me to value education above all else and never stop learning. She told me that people can take everything away from you - your house, your car, your money - but they can never take away your education. She also taught me to never give up, no matter what obstacles come my way. Even when life gets hard, even when people tell you that you won't be successful, you have to keep reaching for your goals and keep the faith. Every challenge is an opportunity for growth, and you have to keep moving forward regardless of setbacks. My license plate says KTFAFE - Keep the Faith - because when I wanted to give up, one of my spiritual brothers reminded me: how can the person inside that car not have faith? That reminder keeps me going through every difficulty.

Never give up. Keep reaching for your goals and look for resources wherever they are. Now they have AI and all these tools - use them to research and find what you need. But most importantly, look to someone that's older and listen to that advice, because God instilled wisdom in all of us. I went through all those experiences and got all that education so I could give back to you. Look to your church mothers and mentors - yes, those meetings might seem long, but it's the wisdom they're sharing that matters. These people went through some stuff, and they are giving it to us so we can make it! You can do it. I survived being raped, I survived being beaten, but look at me today - I made it! Life will be hard, it will, but don't give up. Ask questions along the way so you don't have to take the long path I did. I should not have had $168,000 in student loans because nobody told me about accelerated programs or dual degrees. Find mentors who will guide you and tell you these things. And remember, if you only inspire one person, you made a difference. Believe in yourself and start believing in yourself when others don't believe in you.

The healthcare field is currently facing several significant challenges, including ongoing workforce shortages and burnout, which place increased pressure on healthcare professionals and impact overall system efficiency. There is also a growing need to support the next generation of nurses as they enter a more complex and demanding clinical environment, where patient care needs are increasingly intricate. In addition, healthcare systems continue to struggle with addressing health disparities in underserved communities while balancing the delivery of high-quality care with operational demands. Despite these challenges, there are meaningful opportunities for growth, including expanding mentorship and leadership development programs, strengthening community-based healthcare initiatives, improving support systems for vulnerable populations, and advancing nursing education and professional development. Innovative outreach efforts, such as those through organizations like Flossie’s House of Hope, further highlight the potential to create more equitable, accessible, and impactful care delivery models.

The most important values to me are always giving back to others and valuing education. I believe in being appreciative of the small things - we all are not going to accomplish every single thing that we want to accomplish, but we must be thankful for the small things that we have. Never, ever forget where you came from, because none of us became CEOs overnight. I started out making $3.35 an hour bagging groceries, and I'm always looking at how can I improve and how can I make a difference in someone's life. My nana used to say, if you only can inspire one person, you made a difference. Faith is central to everything I do - I'm a woman of faith, and I believe that God directs my path through all trials and tribulations. I also value perseverance and never giving up, no matter how hard life gets. Humility is important too - remembering that even though I'm now Dr. Michelle Davenport, I came from very humble beginnings and went through tremendous struggles to get here. Service to others, especially to vulnerable populations like the homeless, domestic violence survivors, and those struggling with addiction, is at the core of who I am.