Dr. Janelle R. Baker is a distinguished academic leader and board-certified nurse practitioner with over 30 years of experience. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing from Florida A&M University in 1992 and 2001, respectively. She also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Research from Southern University and A&M College, completed in 2005, and a post-master's certificate as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2018.
She has held leadership roles, including serving as Associate Dean of the MSN Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track at Chamberlain University, the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs at the Alcorn State University School of Nursing, and Adult-Gerontology Program Coordinator at Florida A&M University. She also serves as a consultant and SME in nursing education.
A highly accomplished adult-gerontology primary care and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and advocate, Dr. Baker focuses on providing access to quality care for the most vulnerable populations. Most recently, in December 2025, she was selected for the 2026 Cohort of the Gloria J. McNeal Leadership and Public Policy Mentoring Fellowship.
She is an inspiring servant leader who dedicates her free time to serving her community through Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, spending time with her family and friends, and attending collegiate athletic games. Dr. Baker is passionate about addressing food insecurity and period poverty.
Area of Expertise
Academia: Curriculum Design and Revision; Faculty Mentoring, Development, and Evaluation; Regulatory Compliance with State Boards of Nursing; Enrollment Planning and Management
Clinical Practice: Health Advocacy and Policy; Health Access and Equity; Rural Healthcare
Telepsychiatry; Addiction Medicine (Adolescents and Adults); ADHD; Gerontology (Aging)
Courses
NURP 426 Clinical Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan – Course Coordinator
NURP 565 Behavioral Health in Primary Care
Education
BSN, Florida A&M University
MSN, Florida A&M University
PhD, Southern University
Post-Masters PMHNP Certificate, University of Southern Mississippi
Licenses/Certifications
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Registered Nurse: FL (compact), CA, CT, IL, MA, MI, MN, MS, NV, OR
Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner: AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, KY, LA, MA, MI, MS, NE, NV, OH, OR, TN
Certified Mental Game Performance Coach
Certified Adult & Child Mental Health First Aid
Certified Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor with specialization in Higher Education
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
American Nurses Association
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties
American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Association of Black Nursing Faculty
Community Engagement
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Tallahassee Alumnae Chapter
Florida A&M University, National Alumni Association, Life Member
Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women and Girls in Leon County
Research and Special Projects
- Faculty Scholars Program, University of Alabama Birmingham [UAB] Interprofessional Geriatric Education Center
- Advanced Training Institute: Research Methods with Diverse Racial and Ethnic Groups, Michigan State University
- Fellow at the John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing, Geriatric Nursing
Research Summer Scholars Program, New York University (NYU) - Fellow at National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Aging, Summer Institute on Aging Research, Queenstown, MD
Awards
- Dr. Gloria J. McNeal Leadership & Public Policy Mentoring Fellowship (2026 Cohort)
- Champion Award, March, Xavier University 10th Annual Health Disparities Conference
- NONPF Outstanding Nurse Practitioner Educator Award
- Nurse Excellence Award, Nurse Practitioner
- Tallahassee Community College Women’s History Month Honoree for Outstanding Leadership and Service
- Southern Region, Regional Exemplary Leadership Award at Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.