Erica Joseph, PhD, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, NP-C is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in December 1999 and Master of Science in Nursing in May 2008 from Southern University & A&M College. She earned a Post-Master in Psychiatry/Mental Health from Southeastern Louisiana University in December 2012. She completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Southern University in December 2015 and the PhD in nursing program in May 2020. She is an alumni of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Scholar through American Nurses Association (ANA). Dr. Joseph’s current research phenomenon of interest is examining risk and protective factors of minority veterans identified as high risk for suicide. She currently works as an Adult Psych/Mental Health NP caring for the severe mentally ill population and also has also worked as Clinical Faculty for undergraduate nursing students at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. Dr. Joseph is the Louisiana 2015 Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation /AARP Culture of Health Breakthrough Nurse Leader. In 2019, she received the personal coin from the Honorable Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert Wilkie, for her contributions to veterans care. She is married and has two daughters. She enjoys spending time with family and traveling.