Donulae' T. Knuckles, PhDc, RN

Donulaé T. Knuckles is a PhD registered nurse scientist doctoral candidate leader at Wayne State

University and Nurse Entrepreneur with over 28 years since graduating from The University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor in 1997. She is a published coauthor in the journal of Behavioral Medicine on a Medical Mistrust systematic review and the mind behind the development of the Middle Range Theory of Adherence in Hypertension Self-care where she works to close the disparity gap in hypertension within Black Americans and other vulnerable groups.

You may know her as “Nurse Knuckles,” as the owner of Knuckles Health Education Services, LLC

where she trains and certifies adults, youth, and organizations in critical lifesaving skills like CPR, First

Aid, AED, & more. Her own congenital heart vulnerability and survivorship led her to become the

founder, CEO, and president of Love Yourself for Life (LY4L), a 501c3 nonprofit organization that

promotes, self-care, heart health, and stroke prevention & support providing year-round resources, support, and a weekend camp retreat experience for heart &amp stroke survivors, their family & friends, and caregivers.

After defending her PhD proposal in January of 2025, you may know her now as “The HEART

DOCTOR standing for Health, Education, Advocacy, Training, Divinely Outstanding Caregiver, Trusted,

Outcomes-driven & Real. Her transparency, expert passion for the health & wellness of people, and her God-glorifying nature led her to join the WDIV Fox 2 News team in 2022 as the “trusted health professional and HEARTbeat of life,” offering monthly national awareness & advocacy news everyone can use to keep our hearts beating and our communities healthy. She knows the disparities in heart disease in Black Americans, particularly around high blood pressure and has introduced a research study that examines the personal, social, and cultural factors that affect Black Americans hypertension self-care regarding medication adherence. More information is coming soon.

Donulae’ is the president of Kadesh Baptist Church Professional Health Ministry where she has been a member for 4 decades and obtained her Greater Excellence Ministry School certificate in 2013. She is the chaplain of Chi Eta Phi Sorority Incorporated, Lambda Chi Chapter and a rising leader in the organization. A major achievement of Donulaé’s is her contribution to family and being a mother to three amazing adult children and two fantastic teenage sons. The greatest blessing is living life abundantly and being a grandmother to her granddaughter, Noel, and grandson Shiloh. One of her most resounding and heartfelt statements is, “I don’t look like what I’ve been through & To God be the Glory!”