Sheila Grigsby received her doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing. In addition to working on her degree and teaching, Dr. Grigsby has spent much of the last year working on a project funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. This study, in collaboration with organizations, seeks to reduce health disparities in the St. Louis region by engaging community members through focus groups and other activities to address asthma and other issues among youth. A longtime member of the UMSL teaching faculty, Dr. Grigsby has worked extensively in the St. Louis region as a community organizer and health coalition builder. She is interested in teen pregnancy prevention, sexual and reproductive health, and preventing chronic disease in the African American community using participatory research methods.