Dr. Zim Okoli
Executive Director and Professor
Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Ph.D., MPH, MSN, PMHNP-BC, APRN, NCTTP, FAAN, is a Professor in the UK College of Nursing. He also directs both the Tobacco Treatment and the Research & Evidence-Based Practices services at Eastern State Hospital, a state psychiatric facility in Lexington, KY. His primary research focuses on enhancing substance use treatment (particularly tobacco use) among people living with mental and behavioral health challenges. He is internationally recognized for developing and integrating tobacco treatment approaches within mental and behavioral health systems as well as training tobacco treatment providers. He served as principle and co-investigator on several grants from the Canadian Institute of Health Research, National Institute of Health, Kentucky Department of Public Health, and Kentucky State Department of Medicaid.