Education

Post Masters Certificate, Nurse Practitioner, University of South Alabama

Doctor of Nursing Practice, Community and Public Health Nursing Administration, University of South Alabama

Master of Science, Community and Public Health Nursing Administration, University of South Alabama

Bachelor of Arts, Social Work, University of West Florida

Associate of Science, Registered Nurse, Jefferson Davis College

Biography

Dr. Rhonda Cowan is a Florida native, born in Crestview, Florida as the oldest of 5 children to parents who were also Florida natives. After graduation as an honor student from Baker High School, she completed nursing school training at Coastal Alabama Community College in Brewton, Alabama and was licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in 1979. More than twenty years passed before she returned to school to advance her education in advanced nursing practice, attaining the Master of Science in Nursing degree in 2006 and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2014, both from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. In addition to practicing as an RN in hospitals, nursing homes, and community health settings for over 25 years, Rhonda was privileged to serve as a nursing faculty member at Pensacola State College from 2007 – 2012, attaining the rank of Assistant Professor, and served in the role of department director. Rhonda has also served as nursing faculty at Fortis Institute in Pensacola and as an adjunct instructor of online nursing courses at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida. After teaching for 8 years, Rhonda returned to the University of South Alabama in 2015 to complete a post-graduate certificate program as an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGNP). Rhonda is licensed to practice in Florida and Alabama and has achieved national certification by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Additionally, Rhonda has been licensed in Florida as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in public and community health for over 10 years and holds a national certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.