UA PhD Coordinator, Associate Professor
Education
Biography
Dr. Shameka L. Cody is an Associate Professor and the PhD Program Coordinator at the Capstone College of Nursing. She is a board-certified Adult-Geriatric and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She obtained her Master of Science in Nursing in 2011 and her PhD in Nursing in 2017 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She completed her undergraduate studies at Jacksonville State University and Jefferson State Community College.
Her program of research focuses on the addressing HIV and comorbidities among older adults and rural populations. Her work is sponsored by multiple funding agencies, including The National Institute of Health, and has been disseminated nationally and internationally through peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations. Her previous and ongoing projects are conducted in collaboration with colleagues at University of Alabama at Birmingham, WashU Medicine, as well as The University of Alabama.
She is a 2025 Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and was recognized as a Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing in 2020. Dr. Cody is affiliated with the UAB Center for AIDS Research and participated in the OpEd Project’s Write to Change the World in 2024, sponsored by The Third Coast Center for AIDS Research. Renowned for her mentorship of students and junior faculty across disciplines and institutions, Dr. Cody maintains an active clinical practice, which informs her success in building multi-sector research teams and partnerships. Her interdisciplinary and community-driven approach emphasizes translating evidence-based research into clinical and community settings. Through her “clinic to community” model, Dr. Cody works to reduce HIV stigma and expand access to behavioral health services for rural populations.