Feylyn Lewis

A native of Nashville, Tennessee and a Vanderbilt University alumna, Dr. Lewis grew up as a youth caregiver for her disabled mother. Her experience with caregiving, disability, and living life on the margins led her on a path of global research and advocacy. She has a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a PhD in Social Work. Her research focuses on mental health and resiliency in youth and young adult caregivers, and she conducts research in the US, Europe, UK, and Australia. Dr. Lewis currently works as the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, where she is responsible for providing vision, leadership and strategic planning for student affairs programming that delivers holistic wellness formal support services, student life and community engagement. Outside of work, she serves as the current Training Development Chair and recent past Vice-President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Junior League of Nashville. She is a board member for the Tennessee Caregiver Coalition, the NASPA Center for Women, the Brighton and Hove Carers Centre (United Kingdom). An engaged community advocate, Dr. Lewis is appointed to the Community Advocacy Panel for the Tennessee State Government Opioid Abatement Council and serves as the chair of the Meharry Center for Genome Research Community Advisory Board. Recently, she served as the past co-chair of the Congressionally appointed PCORI Healthcare Delivery and Disparities Research Advisory Panel, and she sits on numerous other international advisory boards. She is an inaugural New America Story Fellow where she writes about the state of youth caregiving in the US. She currently resides in Nashville where she continues to provide care for her mother.