Fernando Mena-Carrasco is a PhD student at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. He also holds an appointment as a Doctoral Fellow of the American Nurses Association (ANA)/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Fernando serves as the President of the Johns Hopkins Nurses' Alumni Board and is also a clinical instructor for pre-licensure master’s students completing population health and psychiatric-mental health clinical rotations.
Until 2023, Fernando served as Chief of the Center for HIV, STI Integration and Capacity at the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), where he directed public programs funded by SAMHSA, CDC, and HRSA. Fernando’s goal is to anchor his research in the lived experience of Latino populations in the U.S., examining quantitative data that characterizes the behavioral health outcomes of Latino adults and ascertains protective and risk factors, including financial strain, health insurance, and the impact of public policy. He is a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Adult Health and is a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of Maryland.