Sarah Jane Rhoads

Sarah Jane Rhoads is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Community and Population Health in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), with joint appointments in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and College of Graduate Health Sciences. She joined UTHSC in August 2018 after serving as Associate Professor and Director of the South Central Telehealth Resource Center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Her educational credentials include:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (1995), Master of Nursing Science (2000), and PhD in Nursing (2013) from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (2006) from UTHSC College of Nursing

Dr. Rhoads' research centers on connected health technologies for rural populations, emphasizing patient-centered care and community-engaged approaches to address maternal health disparities. Her work specifically targets the Mississippi River Delta region through innovations like remote postpartum monitoring, tele-lactation services, and food security interventions, aiming to improve outcomes in underserved communities.

Her distinguished honors include:

• Academy Edge Runner recognition by American Academy of Nursing (2016)
• Fellowship induction into American Academy of Nursing (2017)

As Principal Investigator, she secures major funding from HRSA (including a $2.6M Advanced Nursing Education Workforce renewal grant), PCORI, and RWJF to train DNP students as nurse practitioners and certified nurse-midwives for underserved populations. Her programs focus on workforce diversity, health equity, and social determinants of health training, directly mentoring future clinicians committed to rural service through grant-funded pathways.

Her initiatives integrate with UTHSC's Center for Community and Global Partnerships and Nursing Mobile Health Unit, extending clinical services and research infrastructure to rural communities across the Mississippi Delta region.