Alissa Fox witnesses moments that forever change lives. She sees the triumph in a mother's eyes as she holds her newborn for the first time. She also sees something else—the shadow of uncertainty, the weight of vulnerability that can follow women home from delivery rooms across America.
Fox knows this firsthand.
As a nursing instructor specializing in family care, she has dedicated her career to illuminating the path for new mothers navigating one of life's most profound transitions. But her mission extends far beyond the bedside. Armed with determination forged from her own struggles with motherhood, Fox is pursuing advanced degrees that will position her to transform maternal care on a national scale.
“I’m passionate about supporting women and helping them feel confident in their role as a mother,” Fox says, who acknowledges she struggled transitioning into motherhood. “I know everyone’s experience is unique, so I want to support them however I can.”
From her home in Milliken, north of Denver, Fox has embarked on an ambitious academic journey at the University of Colorado College of Nursing at Anschutz Medical Campus. She's simultaneously pursuing a master's degree in Leadership in Nursing and Health Care Systems (i-LEAD) while enrolled in the Doctor of Philosophy program—a dual commitment that reflects her unwavering dedication to systemic change.
The spark for this transformation emerged from her desire to expand her impact beyond individual patient interactions. Throughout her career focusing on obstetrics and pediatrics, Fox recognized a troubling reality: the healthcare system wasn't equipped to fully support the women who needed it most during their most vulnerable moments.
“I felt like having this background in leadership would put me on a path to have a greater impact as a nurse and my ability to support patients,” she says. “And what I’ve learned is I want to focus on research. I want to improve nursing interventions for our maternal population.”
Helping a Vulnerable Population
Fox’s research focuses on understanding how nurses can facilitate post-traumatic growth following birth trauma, a condition that affects thousands of women yet remains largely unscreened and unrecognized. The repercussions can significantly impact families, potentially leading to reduced breastfeeding rates, challenges with maternal-infant bonding, relationships with partners, and prolonged stress, causing chronic health conditions.
“It’s essential that we support birthing people during that challenging transition into parenthood,” she says. “I want to decrease the possibility of negative effects from childbirth PTSD so they can build a better life for their growing families.”
Her work represents more than academic pursuit—it's a lifeline for women whose stories often go untold, whose struggles remain invisible to a healthcare system that focuses on physical recovery while emotional wounds go unaddressed.
Learning About Nursing Leadership
Fox believes the education she’s received in the i-LEAD program has shifted her mindset to be more systems-focused, enabling her to have a large-scale impact on patients.
“I don’t want to diminish the one-on-one impact nurses have on somebody’s life, because that’s so impactful and powerful, but when you branch out and go into leadership or research, you can make a bigger impact,” she says. “We need to have nurses who are experienced bedside nurses get involved in teaching and research so we can continue to make improvements in the healthcare system. That helps us provide better care and better support to our patients.”
Fox represents a new generation of nurses who combine hands-on clinical experience with advanced research and leadership training. Her work demonstrates how individual dedication to patient care can evolve into broader systemic improvements, potentially benefiting countless families navigating the transition to parenthood.
