Katherine Britt, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN

Katherine C. Britt, PhD, MSN, RN, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa College of Nursing. A registered nurse with clinical experience caring for older adults and families affected by serious illness and cognitive impairment, Dr. Britt earned her PhD in Nursing from The University of Texas at Austin and completed a National Institute on Aging (NIA) T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. A 2024 NIA Butler-Williams Scholar, her work centers the values, cultural contexts, and lived experiences of older adults and care partners navigating cognitive decline. Her scholarship spans three interconnected areas: (1) spirituality and cognitive health as modifiable coping, resilience, and lifestyle resources; (2) cognitive care planning and innovations to improve communication and coordination in dementia care; and (3) digital and AI-enabled tools to reduce clinical burden and support families at home. Her research intentionally includes populations disproportionately affected by cognitive health disparities. Her work is funded by the NIH/NIA, Stanford Aging Pilot Program, and a2collective. She serves as Vice Chair of ESPO in the Gerontological Society of America, an editorial board member of Geriatric Nursing and Journal of Religion, Spirituality, & Aging, and a board member of the Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter.