Kalisha Bonds Johnson, PhD, PMHNP-BC
Expertise
About
Kalisha Bonds Johnson, PhD, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and a tenure-track assistant professor at Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. Her work focuses on dementia, family caregiving, and the mental health of older adults — with particular attention to the experiences of African American families navigating cognitive decline.
Dr. Bonds Johnson leads the DECIDE Research Lab, where her research on supporting dementia care partners is funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association. She brings direct clinical experience from Emory's Integrated Memory Care Clinic, a nationally recognized primary care model for people living with dementia, and consults nationally on dementia-related research and clinical initiatives, including work with the American Medical Association.
Beyond academia, she is the founder of KBJ Collective, where she translates dementia caregiving research into clear, practical guidance for families and care partners. Across her clinical, research, and public-facing work, her aim is the same: to help families feel less alone and more equipped in the day-to-day reality of caregiving.
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Lifespan, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
- Postdoctoral Fellowship in Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia