Our Leadership
Marianne Cockroft, PhD, MNEd, RN
Associate Professor Emerita
Public Health and Community Practice
Marianne Cockroft is the founder and co-director of the clinic. She was a Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at UNC-Chapel Hill until her retirement in 2021. In her career she has demonstrated a high level of motivation to engage in assessing health needs for individuals and families and to serve special, and often overlooked, populations with unmet health care needs. Marianne has experience in conducting community assessments and developing interventions to address community needs, such as her creation of a playgroup for parents and their toddlers as a child abuse prevention strategy. Her portfolio of accomplishments also includes establishing a wellness center for Durham County, NC seniors; establishing partnerships with school health and occupational health clinical sites; and developing ways for public libraries to provide clinical teaching opportunities. Marianne’s career in public health nursing has also revolved around forging connections and partnerships—creating and strengthening relationships between parents and their children, between patients and community resources, and between education and service partners.
Jean Davison, DN, FNP-BC
Clinical Professor
UNC Chapel Hill
Jean Ann Davison joined the UNC SON Mobile Health Clinic in August 2020 as a lead provider and became the Co-Director in July 2021. She has a passion for providing high quality, compassionate care to all and leading/mentoring the next generation of RNs and Advanced Practice RNs. As an Associate Professor at the UNC School of Nursing in Chapel Hill, NC, Jean teaches DNP and MSN courses including Enhanced Role RN Physical Assessment of Adults and STD Training. Jean completed her MSN/FNP education in 2000 at UNC-Chapel Hill and DNP at Duke University in 2012. As a Family Nurse Practitioner, she has practiced in federally qualified community health centers (FQHCs), providing access to care for all since 2000 and is the National Health Service Corps Ambassador to UNC. Additionally, Jean is the president of Compassion Med International that supports health outreaches around the world. During COVID 19 Pandemic, Jean has also volunteered with the NC Farmworkers Health Program, screening and vaccinating these essential workers.
Leslie Sharpe, DNP, FNP-C
Clinical Associate Professor
UNC Chapel Hill
Leslie Sharpe is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Nursing. For 13 years she worked in a primary care setting at Pittsboro Family Medicine. In 2013, she was recruited to serve as UNC faculty for the newly established Sylvan Community Health Center in Snow Camp, North Carolina, were she taught for six years. She also formed part of the inaugural cohort of Duke-Johnson & Johnson Nurse Leadership program. Leslie has more than 20 years of experience in primary care specializing in patients with complex, co-morbid physical and mental health illnesses, and embraces the opportunity to work with underserved communities. She is committed to educating primary care nurse practitioners to be able to apply behavioral health concepts in primary care. Currently, Leslie is the course co-coordinator for Advanced Health and Physical Assessment for Advanced Practice Nursing), Advanced Diagnostic Reasoning, and Primary Care Management of Adults and Adolescents.
Leigh Mullen, DNP,FNP-C
Clinical Instructor
Adult Health
Leigh G. Mullen is a family nurse practitioner and Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she teaches and mentors students across bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. She brings extensive experience in acute care and advanced practice nursing, and her work focuses on improving access to care for vulnerable populations. Leigh is an inaugural member and volunteer nurse practitioner with the UNC School of Nursing Mobile Health Clinic. Since 2021, she has also partnered with the Veterans Life Center to assess and address the health needs of military veterans in crisis, offering both clinical care and connections to comprehensive health services. Her expertise bridges clinical practice, education, scholarship, and community engagement, making her a passionate advocate for equitable health care.
Katherine Peppers
Clinical Assistant Professor
Pediatrics
Katherine Peppers is a doctorally-prepared Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Pediatric Mental Health Specialist. She has been practicing for over 25 years and has been on the Faculty at the UNC-CH School of Nursing for the past eight years. Katherine obtained her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Duke University. She has been an active member of the UNC SON MHC teams for the past 2 years.
Johanne I. Laboy, PhD, MBA
Adjunct Assistant Professor
UNC Chapel Hill
Johanne Laboy is a community engagement professional with 20 years of experience as a marketing and communications practitioner. She has extensive experience working with diverse publics and marginalized populations. Johanne is trained in interdisciplinary fields, including communication, health sciences, and health promotion. Throughout her professional career, she has held positions in strategic marketing, community relations, public relations, and event planning. In addition to her varied skills, Johanne in an experienced social scientist. She has co-authored a number of articles that have been published in peer reviewed journals, including Communication Studies, the Journal of Loss and Trauma, and the International Journal of Information Management. In addition, she has served as a contributor to the Sage Encyclopedia of Cancer and Society, the Encyclopedia of Health Communication, and the Encyclopedia of Human Services and Diversity.