Briana Jimerson is the recipient of the Lucy C. Perry Memorial Scholarship and currently enrolled in the dual Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) master’s program at Georgetown University.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of South Carolina–Aiken in 2016 and later completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from South University in Columbia, South Carolina in 2019. 

As a teenager, she witnessed the care her mother received during a high-risk pregnancy. The nurses who cared for her family during that time left a lasting impression—demonstrating the power of presence, skill, and compassion during vulnerable moments. This experience planted the seed for Briana’s lifelong passion for women’s health.

After completing her BSN, Briana worked as a labor and delivery nurse, including serving as a travel nurse, which gave her the opportunity to work with diverse patient populations across the country. These experiences deepened her understanding of maternal health disparities and strengthened her desire to return to graduate school. She chose the Georgetown University and the CNM/WHNP dual program because it offers the flexibility and breadth to care for individuals across the reproductive lifespan—before, during, and after pregnancy—while also preparing her to address broader reproductive health needs.

Briana currently works part-time with a Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) team as an antepartum nurse, caring for patients with high-risk pregnancies. This role has provided her with valuable insight into the systemic gaps and challenges that contribute to adverse maternal outcomes. She is especially passionate about closing the gap in preventable causes of Black maternal morbidity and mortality. Briana is committed to promoting culturally responsive, evidence-based care and ensuring that all birthing people are treated with dignity and respect.

With her advanced degree, Briana plans to provide full-scope midwifery and women’s health care in both clinical and community settings. She also hopes to contribute to maternal health research, policy advocacy, and education for future healthcare providers.

Receiving the Lucy C. Perry Scholarship from NEF is both an honor and a source of meaningful encouragement. It allows Briana to continue her education with greater focus and less financial strain, and affirms her commitment to maternal health equity. She is deeply grateful for this support and excited about the path ahead.