Assistant Professor
Leigh G. Mullen, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, where she teaches across undergraduate and graduate programs in public health nursing, advanced health assessment, and primary care across the lifespan. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Duke University, a Master of Science in Nursing from UNC-Chapel Hill, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UNC-Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from North Carolina State University.
Dr. Mullen is a nationally board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with a clinical focus on vulnerable populations, including veterans experiencing homelessness and uninsured and underinsured community members. She maintains an active practice at the Veterans Life Center in Butner, NC and volunteers with the UNC School of Nursing Mobile Health Clinic, a nationally recognized free clinic serving over 500 individuals annually. Her scholarship centers on social determinants of health screening, interprofessional education, and nurse-led community health models, with work published in journals including the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Journal of Medical & Clinical Nursing, and the Journal of Nursing Education. Recently, Dr. Mullen has presented to clinicians across the state of North Carolina on reducing mortality from opioid use disorder and on veteran health.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Mullen brought a distinct lens to healthcare through her work as a Professional Recruiter at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, where she developed expertise in talent acquisition and workforce development within a complex academic medical center. This background informs her deep appreciation for the human dimensions of healthcare organizations and the importance of cultivating strong, mission-aligned teams.
Dr. Mullen is an active leader both in the School of Nursing and locally. She is the Immediate Past President of the Alpha Alpha Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International and currently serves on the UNC SON Faculty Executive and Appointment, Promotion, and Reappointment Committees. She is passionate about advancing health equity through education, scholarship, and sustained community partnership.
Published Abstracts
1) †Jacobson Vann, J. C., Christensen, B., & Mullen, L. (2025, November 4). Improving quality and safety in health services delivery: Advocating to phase out medical devices made with toxic plasticizers. American Public Health Association 2025 Annual Meeting & Expo. Public Health Nursing, November 2-5, 2025, Washington, D.C.
Peer Reviewed Articles
1) *Davison, J. A., Cockroft, M., Mullen, L., & Sharpe, L. (2024). Robust interprofessional clinical education and practice to improve health equity. Journal of Medical & Clinical Nursing, 5(1), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.47363/JMCN/2024(5)175
2) ‡*Mullen, L. G., Oermann, M. H., Cockroft, M. C., Sharpe, L. M. & Davison, J. A. (2023). Screening for the social determinants of health: Referring patients to community-based services. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 35(12), 835-842. doi:10.1097/JXX.0000000000000922
3) *Cockroft, M., Laboy, J., Mullen, L., & Hubbell, S. L. (2020) Nurse-Led mobile health clinics: An opportunity for student scholarship and faculty practice. Journal of Nursing Education, 59(10), 594-596. doi:10.3928/01484834-20200921-11
Poster Presentations
1) Mullen, L., Davison, J., Cockroft, M., Sharpe, L., & Thompson, M. (April 2024). UNC School of Nursing Mobile Health Clinic Creates Clinical System Changes to Address Food Insecurity, ASCVD Risk and Heart Health. Poster presentation at Sigma Theta Tau International Region 13 Biennial Nursing Research Conference: Engaging in Research, Scholarship, and Leadership, Charlotte, NC.
2) Davison, J., Cockroft, M., Mullen, L., Sharpe, L., & Thompson, M. (October 2023). UNC School of Nursing Mobile Health Clinic Creates Clinical System Changes to Address Food Insecurity, ASCVD Risk and Heart Health. Poster presentation at Caring for Our Community: UNC Health Nursing Research, EBP, & Quality Improvement Conference, Chapel Hill, NC.
3) Davison, J., Cockroft, M., Mullen, L., Sharpe, L., & Thompson, M. (October 2023). UNC School of Nursing Mobile Health Clinic Creates Clinical System Changes to Address Food Insecurity, ASCVD Risk and Heart Health. Poster presentation at Sigma Alpha Alpha Chapter Annual Meeting, Chapel Hill, NC.
