Ayomidamope “Ayo” Adebiyi, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nursing student at JHSON, received an NEF Scholarship for the 2025 – 2026 academic year.
Ayo is concentrating on Executive Leadership and Health Policy, while simultaneously completing a Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing Education.
Ayo’s path to nursing was shaped by profound personal experience. Born prematurely at 29 weeks as one of triplets in Nigeria, she was the only survivor due to the lack of adequate medical resources. This tragedy ignited her commitment to healthcare as both a clinician and advocate for equitable access.
As Clinical Programs Lead in Occupational Health at the University of California, Merced through partnership with Work health Solutions, Ayo oversees comprehensive workplace health initiatives. She serves on the Institutional Biosafety Committee and Animal Care and Use Committee, where she contributes to critical decisions regarding research safety protocols and ethical animal research practices. Her leadership has been instrumental in developing OSHA-compliant respiratory protection systems, infectious disease surveillance protocols, and injury prevention strategies for high-risk environments.
Beyond her occupational health leadership, Ayo founded “Care for the Unreached,” a nonprofit providing critical prenatal and antenatal care to rural Nigerian communities. Her dedication to service has earned her the Presidential Volunteer Service Award and recognition as a Clinton Global Initiative University Change Maker.
Ayo’s DNP project addresses musculoskeletal injuries among workers in high-physical-demand jobs, evaluating the impact of combined ergonomic education and workplace physical activity programs, with a “train-the-trainer” model for sustainable implementation. This research directly informs her occupational health practice while contributing to national worker safety standards. Her concurrent Nursing Education certification prepares her to train future nurses in occupational health principles as an adjunct faculty member.
The NEF Scholarship named after M. Elizabeth Carnegie, known for breaking down racial barriers in nursing, holds profound significance for Ayo, as it represents both an investment in her potential and a recognition of her commitment to advancing nursing leadership for underrepresented communities. This award not only alleviates financial barriers but also strengthens her resolve to pioneer systemic changes in occupational health and nursing education.
The complete academic and professional biographies of all the 2025 NEF scholars are posted on the NEF website.