Kimberly Souffront, PhD '12

Kimberly Souffront, PhD ‘12, RN, FNP-BC, FAAN, is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Associate Director of the Center for Nursing Research & Innovation at the Icahn School of Medicine.  She is an emergency trained Nurse Practitioner, and her research interests include hypertension and health disparities.

Dr. Souffront has been supported as a principal investigator by the National Institutes of Health and has received funding from the Emergency Medicine Foundation, Emergency Nurses Association, and other private foundations.  She completed her PhD and Post-Doctoral Fellowship at New York University prior to joining the faculty at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. She mentors nurses (undergraduate, graduate/doctoral) across the Mount Sinai Health System, medical students, and emergency medicine residents on research methodology. 

Dr. Souffront was honored in 2024.

Q: What do you believe is Estelle Osborne's legacy? Do you recall when you first learned about her?

A: I first learned about Estelle Osborne as a PhD student in 2008. My colleague, Dr. Tanyka Smith, and I were invited to the Legacy Ceremony at NYU Meyers by my mentor, Dr. Deborah Chyu - who continues to guide me today. That ceremony planted a seed. 

Tanyka and I saw in Osborne’s story both a responsibility and a path: to carry her legacy forward by excelling in spaces where we were not always expected to be, and by holding the door open for those coming after us. Over the years, we’ve leaned on one another through challenges and celebrated milestones—two Black women navigating academia and leadership together. Most recently, I gave a talk for some of her faculty at Hofstra University (pictured with me on the right), a full-circle reminder of how our paths remain intertwined 17 years later.

The opportunities I’ve had—studying at NYU, advancing research, and leading as a nurse scientist—exist because women like Estelle Osborne demanded change. And the work Tanyka and I do today is, in itself, part of her legacy: carrying forward a tradition of courage, persistence, and creating space for others to thrive.

Q: How did your experience at NYU Meyers shape your career and view of healthcare?

A: My very first course at Meyers was with Dr. Rosemarie Rizzo Parse, learning her Human Becoming Theory. At first, I honestly struggled.   My brain just didn’t think that way—it was such a departure from the problem-focused, clinical frameworks I was used to as a nurse practitioner. I even questioned if I had made the right decision. But that discomfort ended up being transformative. The theory forced me to stretch, to think about patients not just in terms of disease or treatment, but as individuals shaping their own meaning, navigating complex relationships, and continuously evolving.

That experience was a turning point. It shifted my view of nursing from being about tasks and treatment to being about science, equity, policy, and the systems that shape health. Meyers sharpened my ability to ask hard questions, demand rigor, and hold equity as non-negotiable in everything I do. Looking back, starting with Human Becoming gave me the foundation to see the bigger picture—why nursing has to lead not just at the bedside, but in research, policy, and leadership.

Q: What single piece of advice would you give to a student about to graduate from NYU Meyers?

A: Your degree is a milestone. It’s not your destination either. What you do after graduation, will define the impact you make. Remember that nursing is not a job—it is a platform. Use it to innovate, to lead, and to advance justice in health care.

Q: What was your hardest day as a nurse?

A: Honestly, every day in the emergency department was hard in its own way—the pace, the unpredictability, the constant intensity. But the hardest part wasn’t even the medicine. It was the feelings that came with knowing I couldn’t fix everything. There were moments I had to step back and face the reality that, for some patients, no matter how much we did inside the hospital, the odds were already stacked against them. Carrying that weight—seeing outcomes shaped more by inequities outside our walls than by the care we could give—was what stayed with me long after my shift ended.

Q: What barriers/challenges do you still face as a nurse of color? Have you seen things evolve during your career?

A: Being a nurse of color in leadership and academia often means carrying invisibility—being underestimated, questioned, or needing to prove my worth more than once. Things are better in some ways: there are more nurses of color stepping into advanced roles, more honest conversations about equity, and more recognition of systemic racism in health care. But progress is uneven, the pipeline is still thin, and the current climate is making us move backwards, unfortunately

For me, the hardest truth is knowing I’ve had to work twice as hard just to be seen. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. And I know I’m not alone in feeling that—it’s the reality so many Black women live. In one of my summer programs for underrepresented students, staff often marvel at how much Black women are already doing they hear of during an interview . But to me, it’s simply survival. It’s the same relentless effort I recognize in myself—working harder to be visible in spaces that weren’t built for us.

That’s why mentorship isn’t something I do just because I am a leader and researcher; it’s my responsibility. I have to do it. I’m compelled to do it. It’s how we lighten that load for the next generation, so visibility doesn’t come at the cost of exhaustion. I want them to see their potential and know what incredible opportunities are within their reach—not by changing who they are, but by thriving exactly as they are.

Q: Who was your favorite professor and why?

A: Without question, Dr. Deborah Chyun. She was intentional in every way—opening doors for me and, when needed, pushing me through them. Her belief in me profoundly shaped how I lead today. My guiding philosophy—that “True leadership is measured by who you bring with you”—comes directly from her example. Every chance I get, I try to create those same opportunities for others.

Q: What is the best advice you received from a mentor?

A: After a string of unsuccessful grant applications, and feeling really down on myself,  I’ll never forget when my mentor, Dr. Lynne Richardson, told me, “Kim, they aren’t ready for you yet. Keep doing the work.” At first it stung, but it grounded me. It reminded me to get out of my head, to stop chasing validation, and to focus on the work itself. That advice still centers me: my job is to keep showing up and keep building—and I see now how that persistence has brought me to where I am today.