Phyllis Sharps, professor emerita at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, has been named a 2025 Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing. Considered the organization’s highest honor, the designation is granted to individuals who exemplify the resolve and ingenuity of the nursing profession and have made significant impacts on health systems and health policy.
With a career spanning more than 40 years, Dr. Sharps has centered her work on supporting the health of women of color impacted by intimate partner violence (IPV). She is known for the development of DOVE (Domestic Violence Enhanced Home Visitation), a National Institutes of Health-funded program that addresses IPV during pregnancy through home visits and empowers women to make informed decisions in collaboration with prenatal providers and domestic violence advocates. In addition to her IPV research and interventions, she has mentored hundreds of students and faculty from underrepresented background, working to advance the next generation of diverse nurses.
Dr. Sharp received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and her master’s degree from the University of Delaware. She later returned to the University of Maryland to complete her doctorate.
