Nursing student on a mission to build Cincinnati’s first minority-owned hospital
Brittany Knott, MSN, RN, does not just see herself as a nurse, but as a changemaker. A lifelong learner with four academic degrees under her belt, Knott is now just one semester away from earning her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certificate from the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing. But her ambitions stretch far beyond the classroom or hospital floor—she is actively working to open Cincinnati’s first minority-owned hospital.
Knott at The Black Nurses Summit, hosted by her Foundation
Knott’s background is as impressive as her mission. She holds associate degrees in business and marketing management, a bachelor’s in business administration and a Master of Science in Nursing. After 15 years in hospital settings—starting as a patient transporter and working her way to nursing—she is turning her energy toward building a health system rooted in offering fairness in care and eliminating health gaps through her nonprofit organization Cultured Healthcare Foundation.
“I envision my hospital as a model of what healthcare could look like when run by those who understand and have lived through the gaps in the system,” Knott says.
Her pivot into healthcare came unexpectedly. While Knott initially pursued a business career, encouragement from friends and colleagues led her to explore nursing. Working as a patient care assistant uncovered her strong passion for bedside care and patient advocacy, until an experience at her place of employment changed her perspective.
Knott and Colleen Lindholz, President of Kroger Health, at the 2025 Nourishing Change Conference
“A hostile interaction showed me I couldn’t keep fighting inside systems that weren’t built for people like me,” she recalls. “I needed to create a new system instead.”
Since then, in addition to jobs as a hospice nurse and adjunct clinical instructor at a Cincinnati State Technical College, Knott has worked to create space for varied communities to speak openly about their healthcare experiences. In April, she hosted the Black Nurses Summit and is planning a similar event tailored for the Latino community in September. These culturally specific forums help her understand the unique needs of each population as she designs a healthcare model rooted in fairness and empathy.
She is also leveraging her business acumen to build strategic relationships, secure event sponsorships and raise brand visibility for her organization. As Knott prepares to graduate with her fifth degree, her next step is clear: working in her own hospital.
“I know it won’t be easy, but the time for change is now and I will not wait for permission to make it happen.”
Featured image (provided): Knott representing the Cultured Healthcare Foundation at a walk-a-thon in Cincinnati's Avondale neighborhood.
Tags
Related Stories
Defying the demographic cliff
October 7, 2026
Despite the looming demographic cliff, the University of Cincinnati and five other major Greater Cincinnati universities grew enrollment this fall, with UC reaching a record 54,437 students, helped by strong first-year demand.
UC College of Nursing Women's Health Nurse Practitioner program strengthens congenital syphilis education
October 7, 2026
University of Cincinnati Women's Health Nurse Practitioner students are gaining evidence-based education on screening, diagnosis and treatment of syphilis during pregnancy through a national multisite initiative.
From bedside to primary care: UC Nursing graduate student receives CVS Health scholarship
October 5, 2026
For Harman Sivia, a University of Cincinnati College of Nursing graduate student, pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) focus is about more than advancing her career, but about taking a more active role in preventive care and disease management. Her commitment to that goal recently earned her the $10,000 CVS Health Caring Hearts FNP Student Scholarship, providing meaningful financial support as she balances graduate school, two nursing jobs and family life. For Sivia, the award is both a financial relief and an opportunity to spend more time with the people who motivate her most: her husband and their two children.