Leadership Spotlight: Dr. Miriam Griffin

Biography

Dr. Miriam Griffin is a distinguished nurse leader and scholar whose career embodies the spirit of service, innovation, and advocacy. With over 20 years of multifaceted nursing clinical, academia and leadership experience, Dr. Griffin built her professional foundation while serving on active duty in the United States Navy. Her military service in emergency combat life support, urgent care, and acute care environments instilled a clinical rigor that she seamlessly transitioned into the civilian sector, where she specialized in emergency and critical care nursing.

A visionary leader in academic program development, Dr. Griffin co-created and designed the first graduate nursing program in the history of Bethune-Cookman University. As the nursing administrator for the inaugural Master of Science in Nursing program, she spearheaded the strategic efforts for the initial comprehensive development and alignment of the program with national accreditation standards, cementing a historic milestone in graduate nursing scholarship for the institution.

A committed scholar-practitioner, Dr. Griffin earned her Master of Science in Nursing Education from Western Governors University and her PhD in Education with a concentration in Nursing Education from Capella University. Over the past 13 years in academia, she has developed an expansive teaching portfolio spanning graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs across a diverse array of institutions, including state colleges as well as private, public, and Tier-1 research universities.

Dr. Griffin’s scholarly work is rooted in social justice and educational equity. Her research interests, scholarly presentations, and peer-reviewed publications focus on cultivating success in culturally diverse nursing students and mitigating implicit biases within nursing practice and education.

Through her leadership, teaching, and scholarly work, she remains dedicated to bridging healthcare disparities and mentoring the next generation of inclusive, clinically excellent nursing leaders.

Leadership in Nursing

Dr. Griffin’s leadership reflects a meaningful blend of clinical service, academic innovation, and scholarly advocacy. Her experience in both military and civilian healthcare environments has shaped a leadership approach grounded in discipline, excellence, and service.

Through academic program development, nursing education, and research centered on equity and inclusion, she continues to influence the future of nursing by strengthening educational pathways and mentoring inclusive, clinically excellent nursing leaders.

Education & Academic Influence

• Master of Science in Nursing Education, Western Governors University
• PhD in Education with a concentration in Nursing Education, Capella University
• Over 13 years in academia across graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs
• Teaching experience across state colleges and private, public, and Tier-1 research universities

Clinical & Professional Impact

• More than 20 years of nursing clinical, academia and leadership experience
• Active duty service in the United States Navy
• Clinical foundation in emergency combat life support, urgent care, and acute care
• Specialized experience in emergency and critical care nursing
• Led development of a historic graduate nursing program at Bethune-Cookman University

Awards & Recognition

• Recognized as a distinguished nurse leader and scholar
• Co-created the first graduate nursing program in the history of Bethune-Cookman University
• Advanced graduate nursing scholarship through inaugural program leadership and accreditation alignment
• Built a respected academic and scholarly portfolio focused on equity, diversity, and inclusive excellence in nursing

Recent Accomplishments

Dr. Griffin co-created and designed the first graduate nursing program in the history of Bethune-Cookman University, marking a historic milestone in graduate nursing scholarship for the institution. As nursing administrator for the inaugural Master of Science in Nursing program, she led the strategic efforts for the program’s comprehensive development and alignment with national accreditation standards.

Her continued academic and scholarly contributions include teaching across diverse institutional settings and advancing research, presentations, and publications centered on educational equity, culturally diverse nursing student success, and mitigating implicit biases within nursing practice and education.