Eugenia Flores Millender, PhD, RN, PMH-APRN, FAAN, FAANP, is a nationally and internationally recognized nurse scientist, educator and leader dedicated to transforming mental health care and expanding access to innovative, integrated solutions. She is co-founder and co-director of the Center of Population Sciences for Health Empowerment, Assistant Dean for Research and Marie Cowart Endowed Professor (Tenured) at Florida State University (FSU) College of Nursing.

Dr. Millender integrates her clinical expertise and research to examine how stress, trauma and adversity shape long-term psychological and physical health. Her program of research is distinguished by community-driven strategies that accelerate the translation of discoveries into meaningful, real-world impact, improving mental health outcomes for all populations.

Her leadership extends across the globe, with collaborations in the U.S., Panama, Madagascar, Brazil and Mexico. She partners with institutions such as the Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services of Panama (INDICASAT) and the Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas to advance national and international mental health research and foster sustainable, community-centered solutions.

Before joining FSU, Dr. Millender founded and directed Florida’s first nurse-led university community health center to achieve Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike designation at Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. This innovation redefined how nurse-led care could expand access.

She has secured over $30 million in research funding as principal investigator and co-principal investigator and was recognized in 2023 as a Presidential Leadership Scholar, a prestigious fellowship affiliated with the Bipartisan presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Lyndon B. Johnson.

A U.S. Army veteran with six years of honorable service, Dr. Millender combines discipline, innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and vision in her leadership. She earned her BSN, MS and PhD from Florida Atlantic University and pursued advanced training at Rush University (psychiatric and mental health nursing), the University of Florida (precision medicine), the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School (executive leadership) and Harvard Medical School (AI in healthcare).

With a unique ability to unite clinical expertise, research innovation and national and international partnerships, Dr. Millender is shaping the future of mental health and nursing worldwide.

Research Areas

Mental Health Disparities, Chronic Stress and Trauma, Transgenerational Psychological and Biological Impact, Biopsychosocial Mechanisms of Stress and Trauma,  Cardiovascular and Mental Health Comorbidity, Community-Engaged Research and Integrated Care Models.

Education

Earned BSN, MS, and PhD from Florida Atlantic University
Completed advanced training in:

• Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing – Rush University
• Precision Medicine – University of Florida
• Executive Leadership – University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Business School
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare – Harvard Medical School

Publications

1. Gabster, A., Diaz Fernández, F., Pascale, J. M., Orillac, A., Moreno-Wynter, S., Xavier Hall, C. D., Millender, A. F., Wong, F. Y., Jhangimal, M., Yu-Pon, A., Rodríguez-Vargas, C., Arjona-Miranda, D., Henostroza, G., & Araúz, A. B. (in press). Factors associated with self-reported suboptimal antiretroviral adherence and limited retention in care among people living with HIV who attend a large ART clinic in Panama City, Panama. PLOS ONE.

2. Rangel, G. A., Tratner, A. E., Oviedo, D. C., Villarreal, A. E., Carreira, M. B., Rodriguez-Araña, S., Millender, E. F., Xavier Hall, C. D., Young, F. Y., O’Bryant, S. E., & Britton, G.

B. (in press). Depression and plasma pTau181 levels are associated with frailty status in Hispanic (Panama) community-dwelling older women. Gerontol Geriatr Med.

3. Xavier Hall, C., Okantey, B., Meng, Z., Sabuncu, C., Lane, B., Millender, E. I., Queiroz, A. A. F. L. N., Kim, J., Okada, L., Gillepsie, A., Simoncin, G., Barile, J., Ma, G., & Wong, F. (in press). Examining bio-psycho-social predictors of risk for cognitive impairment among a racially diverse sample of men who have sex with men living with HIV. Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease.

4. Radey, M., Wu, Q., McWey, L., & Millender, E. I. (in press). Instrumental safety net configurations and changes over time among low-income, vulnerable families. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.

5. Gabster, A., Xavier Hall, C. D., Yi, A., Millender, E., Wong, F. Y., & Pascale, J. (2023). Dating violence prevalence and risk factors among adolescents (14-19 years) in urban settings in Panama. Lancet Regional – Americas. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4104375

6. Li, C., Liu, T., Zhang, R., Millender, E. I., Miao, H., Ormsbee, M., Conley, Y., Westbrook, A., Yang, P., Wang, J., & Kelly, T. (2023). The impact of polygenic score on cognitive function decline considering baseline cognitive function, lifestyle behaviors, and diabetes among middle-aged and older U.S. adults. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy, 15(196), 1-10.

7. Erausquin, J. T., Sánchez, J., Pon, A. Y., Jhangimal, M., Millender, E. I., Peña, Y., Ng, W., Reina, A., Nakad, C., Quintana, J., Herrera, R., Vistica, G., Pinzón-Espinosa, J., Cabezas-Talavero, G., Katz, J., Pascale, J. M., Rodríguez, F., & Gabster, A. (2022). Sexual and reproductive health and access: Results of a rapid epidemiological assessment among migrant peoples in transit through Darién, Panamá. Frontiers in Reproductive Health, 4(953979), 1-10.

8. Millender, E. I., Harris, R. M., Barneris, J., Marks, L., Barcelona, V., Wong, F., Crusto, C., & Taylor, J. Y. (2022). The cumulative influence of perceived discrimination, stress, and coping responses on symptoms of depression among young African American mothers. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (JAPNA), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F10783903221105281

9. Agudelo-Higuitaa, N., Antonio Suarezb, J., Millender, E. I., Garcia-Creightonf, E., Corbisierof, M. F., Freitesg, C. O., Henao Corderoh, J., Kousari, A., Unterborn, R., Marcos, L. A., Henao-Martínez, A. F., Meng, M., Alvarado, Y. W., Nicholls, S. B., Sanchez, J., Rincο, T., Viquez, D., Owen, D., Pascale, J. M., & Gabster, A. (2022). U.S. bound journey of migrant peoples in transit across Dante's inferno (Panama) and purgatory in the Americas. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 47, 102317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2022.102317 

10. Joiner, T. E., Robison, M., Robertson, L., Keel, P., Daurio, A. M., Mehra, L. M., & Millender, E. (2022). Ethnoracial status, intersectionality with gender, and psychotherapy utilization, retention, and outcomes. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000726 

11. Millender, E. I., Barile, J. P., Barneris, J., Harris, R. M., De Faria, L., Wong, F., Crusto, C. A., & Taylor, J. (2021). Associations between social determinants of health, perceived discrimination, and body mass index on symptoms of depression among young African American mothers. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 35(1), 94-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2020.09.014 

12. Millender, E. & Dunphy, L. (2019). Anxiety, stress, and trauma-related disorders. In L. M. Dunphy, J. E. Winland-Brown, D. E. Thomas, & B. Porter (Eds.), Primary care: The art and science of advanced practice nursing (5th ed., pp. 1129–1152). FA Davis Co.

13. Lowe, J., Wagner, E., Morris, S. L., Thompson, M., Sawant, M., Kelley, M., & Millender, E. (2019). Utility of the Native-Reliance Theoretical Framework, Model, and Questionnaire. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 26(2).

14. Wimbish-Cirilo, R., Lowe, J., & Millender, E. (2020). The impact of a substance use intervention among urban Native American youth. Genealogy, 4(3), 79.

Millender, E., Valentine, K., Eggenberger, T., Lucier, C., Sandala, H., & Bruneau, D. (2020). Implementing interprofessional collaboration to improve patient outcomes: A caring and social approach to integrated nurse-led community-based care. American Journal of Nursing, 24(1), 39-49. https://doi.org/10.20467/1091-5710.24.1.39

15. Millender, E. & Lowe, J. (2017). Cumulative trauma among Mayas living in Southeast Florida. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 19, 598–605. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0337-3

Grants

R01DA059240-01A1

Xavier Hall (Contact PI); Role: MPI

Characterizing Intersectional Geospatial Stigma and Affirmation Landscapes and Their Influences on Black and Latino Bisexual Men at Risk for Substance Abuse and HIV

2024-2029

1H79SM087909

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Mental Health Services.

Layman (PI); Role: Co-I and FSU subcontract PI

Project BRAVE (Building Resilience and Accessibility for Vulnerable populations Ensuring

Equity

2024-2029

3U01FD007976-02S1 (FDA Innovation Award: Minority Health and Health Equity)

Millender (Contact PI) Elevating Community Voices by Developing a User-centered Approach to Enable Self-testing and Remote Data Collection among Under-represented Populations (Project Elevate)

2024-2025

1U01FD007976-01 (FDA Innovation Award: Minority Health and Health Equity)

Millender (Contact PI) Elevating Community Voices by Developing a User-centered Approach to Enable Self-testing and Remote Data Collection among Under-represented Populations (Project Elevate)

2023-2025

6H79SM080386-05M003

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Mental Health Services.

Millender, Eugenia Isabel (Contact PI/consultant).

Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association: Increasing the Behavioral Health Nurse Workforce.

Dec 2023–Sep 2024

N/A, Quantum Foundation

Millender (Contact PI)

Beyond Shelters: Developing a Holistic and Integrated Team Approach to Mitigate Healthcare Crisis for Recently Homeless and Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) families in Palm Beach County (PBC)

2022-2024

1U01FD007784-01 (Innovation Award: Minority Health and Health Equity)

Xavier Hall (Contact PI); Role: MPI

Identifying Opportunities for Improving Equity in Vaccine Trial Engagement among Sexual and Gender Minority LatinX Communities Through an Explanatory Mixed-methods Design (Palm Beach County)

2022-2024 (NCE)

1U54CA267730-01

Wong (Contact PI); Role: MPI and Faculty Core Lead

Fostering Institutional Resources for Science Transformation: The FLORIDA-FIRST Health-science Brigade

2021-2026

2UL1TR001427-05

Mitchell (PI); Role: FSU Advisory Board member and Community Engagement Leadership team The UF-FSU Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA)

2019-2024

NIH Loan Repayment Program (NHLBI)

Millender (PI).

Impact of Stress, Depression, Coping, and DNA Methylation on Blood Pressure Among African American Women

2020-2024