I am an interdisciplinary public health scholar committed to improving perinatal health and advancing equitable, high-quality healthcare for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health. My research bridges epidemiology, demography, and health services, with a focus on how policies and systems shape health disparities in the U.S. and globally. I draw on frameworks such as the social determinants of health, life course theory, and the social ecological model, and I use population-based data to generate actionable insights that protect and improve health. For example, my dissertation, Racial Disparities in Cesarean Birth and Postpartum Hemorrhage: The Role of U.S. Health System Policies and Practices, used over 13 million births from 20 years of population surveillance and administrative data to examine how institutional factors impact birth outcomes. 

Currently, I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Epidemiology Branch at NICHD, focusing on psychosocial exposures to complement my health systems background. My work here builds on more than a decade of research experience, including roles at Avenir Health and The Demographic and Health Surveys Program, where I analyzed maternal and newborn health data to inform global and national policy decisions. To date, I have led or co-authored more than 50 peer-reviewed studies and technical reports, translating complex data into meaningful recommendations for health systems. 

My path to public health began in Mauritania, West Africa, where I served as a Peace Corps Community Health Agent. That experience continues to shape how I approach my work: with a commitment to community, equity, and impact. I bring that same commitment to teaching and mentoring, whether guiding undergraduates in the classroom, working alongside global scholars, or supporting the next generation of public health professionals. 

Outside of research, I value time with my family and community, exercise, and the practice of being fully present in ways that keep me grounded in the “why” behind the work.