Dr. Natalie D. Hernandez joined as a Board Member in 2022.

Natalie is a National Institutes of Health(NIH)-funded researcher and the founding Director of the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) Center for Maternal Health Equity. Natalie has developed multiple lines of research aimed at advancing science to eliminate women’s health inequities, specifically among Black and Latinx populations. She has laid the groundwork for research in maternal health research by establishing partnerships with local and national organizations dedicated to maternal morbidity and mortality disparities, evaluating maternal health interventions and programs, and validating effective measures of maternal mental health and medical mistrust as psychosocial factors.

Natalie currently serves on a variety of state committees including the Georgia PRAMS Steering Committee. She also serves various national organizations including the American Public Health Association Committee on Health Equity and the Health Disparities Taskforce of the National Preeclampsia Foundation. A nationally recognized leader, Natalie has presented her work at various conferences throughout the years.

Natalie earned her master’s degree in public health from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and earned her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Stony Brook University in New York. Natalie earned her PhD in public health and a graduate certificate in interdisciplinary women’s health from the University of South Florida. She was also a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) maternal and child health leadership trainee, an epidemiology trainee, and a Satcher Health Leadership Institute Health Policy Post-Doctoral Scholar at MSM.

Natalie currently resides in Atlanta with her family and her passion for maternal health is deeply rooted in her role as a wife and mother to two children. Natalie and her family enjoy spending time outdoors and staying connected to the community that inspires and grounds Natalie’s work.