Lucy Mkandawire-Valhmu, PhD, RN, FAAN

Dr. Mkandawire-Valhmu's research focuses on analyzing and addressing the complex health needs of vulnerable populations of women who have experienced violence including American Indian and Black women in the United States as well as women in East and Southern Africa. As a feminist scholar, Dr. Mkandawire-Valhmu's research and scholarship thus centers on advancing nursing science to improve health outcomes for women who experience the greatest vulnerability and mentoring future nurse scientists in doing the same.

PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Major: Nursing

MSN, Syracuse University
Major: Nursing - Adult Health

BSN, Syracuse University
Major: Nursing

Diploma in Nursing, University of Malawi

• Faculty Public Service Award, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, 2024
• Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, 2021
• Standout Sister, Milwaukee Magazine Betty Award, 2021
• Wisconsin Nurses Association Excellence in Nursing Award, 2020
• Sheryl Kelber Research Award, Sigma Theta Tau, Eta Nu Chapter, 2020

• Midwest Nursing Research Society
• Sigma Theta Tau

Chinn, P., Canty, L., & Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. (2025). Knowledge development in nursing: Theory and process (12th ed.). Elsevier. 

Olukoton, O., Abusbaitan, H., Hearst, M., Pirsch, A., Hoffman, S., Martin, L., Connor, J., Adebayo, C., Eyadat, A., Dressel, A., McMorris, B., Gondwe, K., Lopez, A.A., Graf, M., Mekonnen, H., Mersha, S.B., & Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. (2025). Gender-based violence in the lives of Somali refugee women: A framework for conceptualization, measurement and analysis. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 36(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/10436596241274121 

Mkandawire-Valhmu, L., Callari-Robinson, J., Schadewald, D., Abusbaitan, H., Pirsch, A., Luebke, J., Marquardt, L., Schubert, E., Kibicho, J., Lopez, A., Gondwe, K., Rice, E., Bement, K., Morgan, M., McClain, R., Kako, P., Raghe, F., Hunter, C. F., Ayad, C., & Dressel, A. (2024). A protocol for the safe recruitment of Indigenous and Black women experiencing intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic into a large mixed methods study: The Sisters by Choice Study. Global Public Health, 19(1), 2290122. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2023.2290122 

Luebke, J., Thomas, N., Nkhoma, Y.B., Fernandez, A.R., Moore, K.M., Lopez, A.A., Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. (2024). “It is like a curse”: The lived experiences of the intersection of intergenerational violence, pregnancy, and intimate partner violence among urban Wisconsin Indigenous women. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 51, 274-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.010 

Luebke, J., Kako, P., Lopez, A., Schmitt, M., Dressel, A., Klein, K., & Mkandawire-Vahlmu, L. (2023). Barriers faced by American Indian women in urban Wisconsin in seeking help following an experience of intimate partner violence. Violence Against Women, 29(11), 2080–2103. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221132304 

Hawkins, M., Dressel, A., Kendall, N., Wendland, C., Hawkins, S., Walker, K., Mkandawire, E., Kirungi, J., Kako, P., & Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. (2022). The changing dynamics of community cohesiveness and support in rural Malawi: The impact on women’s health and wellbeing at end of life. Social Science and Medicine, 301, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114934

Del Carmen Graf, M., Dressel, A., Schmitt, M., Deal, E., Pittman, B., Lopez, A.A., Kako, P., & Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. (2022) “I was broken in so many different ways”: The intersection of complex factors impacting African American women’s mental health and wellbeing. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 31(1), 167-178. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12946

Luebke, J., Hawkins, M., Lucchesi, A., Klein, K., Weitzel, J., Deal, E., Ruiz, A., Dressel, A., & Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. (2021). The utility of postcolonial and Indigenous feminist frameworks in guiding nursing research and practice about intimate partner violence in the lives of American Indian women. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 32(6), 639-646. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1043659621992602

Mkandawire-Valhmu, L., Kendall, N., Dressel, A., Wendland, C., Scheer, V. L., Kako, P., Neiman, T., Valhmu, W., Ruiz, A., Luebke, J., Minjale, P., Merriman, A., Finch, L., & Egede, L. (2020). Women's work at end of life: The intersecting gendered vulnerabilities of patients and caregivers in rural Malawi. Global Public Health, 15(7), 1062–1072.  doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2020.1730930

Mkandawire-Valhmu, L., Bauer, W. S., Stevens, P. E., Galvao, L. W., Grande, K. M., Yerges, A., Emer, L., Mwenyekonde, T., & Weinhardt, L. (2020). Rural Malawian women’s resistance to systematic oppression, violence, and abuse by their husbands. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35(1–2), 268–293. 
doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516682518

Voller, V. K. Smith, M., Senzano Castro, C., Barrozo, G., Burgos, F., Maccari, D., Martin, C. L., Mkandawire-Valhmu, L., Mysler, A., Pellizzari, V., Nixon, P., & Hoffman, S. J. "La Salud Sexual en Bolivia está en Papeles. Existe Muy Maravilloso pero Sólo son Papeles." A Human Rights Case Study Analyzing Bolivia’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights Obligations and An Adolescent’s Lived Experience," Society for Applied Anthropology Annual Conference, Portland, OR. (March 2025).

Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. "Addressing Racism to Improve Health Outcomes for Urban Black Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in the Upper Midwestern United States," Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International Conference, Phuket, Thailand. (November 2024).

Mkandawire-Valhmu, L., "Decolonizing Nursing Education: Reimagining Curricula and Healing Practices," Myrtle Crawford Memorial Lectureship, University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing. (May 2024).

Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. "Decolonizing Research Practice in Nursing Academia," Myrtle Crawford Memorial Lectureship, University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing. (May 2024).

Award: Successful Training and Retention of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (STARS)
Principal Investigator: Kako, Penninah
Sponsoring Organization: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Award Dates: 2024 - 2027

Award: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Help Seeking of American Indian and Black Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence
Principal Investigator: Mkandawire-Valhmu, Lucy
Sponsoring Organization: National Institute on Minority Health
Award Dates: 2023 - 2026

Award: Achieving Gender Equality for Women Experiencing the Deepest Vulnerability
Principal Investigator: Mkandawire-Valhmu, Lucy 
Sponsoring Organization: University of Minnesota Global Programs and Strategy Alliance
Award Dates: 2023 - 2024

Award: Sisters by Choice: United by Voice
Principal Investigator: Mkandawire-Valhmu, Lucy
Sponsoring Organization: National Institute on Minority Health
Award Dates: 2021 - 2025

Award: Tracking our Truth: Providing Access to Advocacy Driven Medical Forensic Care
Principal Investigator: Mkandawire-Valhmu, Lucy 
Sponsoring Organization: U. S. Department of Justice
Award Dates: 2020 - 2022