Hosted by the Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences in collaboration with the School of Nursing and School of Sciences and Health Professions
Please join us for a panel discussion with researchers in the Simmons community about the importance of women's health.
Women's health plays a crucial role in public health, affecting not only the well-being of women but also that of their families and communities. In this panel, researchers will discuss how, despite the significance of women's health for overall public well-being, gaps in research funding and focus have hindered the development of policies and interventions that cater to women's unique needs. Prioritizing women's health in public health policies and research efforts contributes to healthier populations and societies as a whole.
A key reason for the persisting issues in women's health is the gross underrepresentation of women in healthcare leadership. Women comprise 65% of the workforce, but only a few become senior leaders. For instance, only 30% of C-suite roles and 13% of CEO positions in the U.S. are women. This gap limits their ability to advocate for women's health at the highest levels of decision-making, and if fixed, will lead to sustainable systemic changes that benefit all.
Panelists
Carmen Harrison is a Professor of Practice at Simmons University, where she teaches in the graduate nursing programs. With over 30 years of clinical experience and 20 years as a nurse educator, she holds a BSN from Miami University, an MSN from the University of Cincinnati, and a PhD from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Dr. Harrison is board certified as a Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner and is a Certified Nurse Educator. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to providing care to underserved women and has shared her expertise through presentations and publications. Dr. Harrison is committed to supporting nursing students in their educational and professional pursuits. She is actively engaged in professional organizations and advocates for the advancement of women's health care. Her recent research focused on the sexual empowerment of Black women.
Val Leiter is Professor and Chair of the Public Health Department at Simmons University. She is a medical sociologist who holds a joint Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Policy from Brandeis University, an AM in Sociology from Harvard University, and a BA in Sociology from SUNY Albany. Val teaches courses on medical sociology, food, drugs, and epidemiology — these topics dovetail with her research on children and youth with disabilities, medicalization, medical devices, and gender and health. Her recent research has focused on women's health medical devices, including sterilization devices, breast milk pumps, IUDs, and menstrual hygiene devices. She is currently working on a paper with Tozoe Marton on the biomedicalization of human reproduction, plus a book project on the lived experiences of people who have a range of devices implanted in their bodies, including pacemakers, artificial joints, and cochlear implants.
Tozoe Marton is an accomplished professional in global health policy, research, and academia. She holds an MA in Social Policy and an MS in Global Health Policy and Management from Brandeis University, along with a BA in Sociology and International Relations from Simmons University. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Simmons University, where she educates undergraduate students on global health and the societal impacts of health. She is currently pursuing a PhD focused on addressing maternal mortality challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically examining the influence of professional midwifery on maternal health outcomes and how working environments affect midwives' ability to provide adequate care. Her research includes an internship with the Population Council in Kenya, where she investigates midwifery training environments and their impact on midwives' preparedness and performance in health facilities.
Edima Ottoho is an Associate Professor of Practice at the Public Health Department at Simmons University. She holds two master's degrees - in Public Health (MPH) and Business Administration (MBA), and is completing a Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) Leadership, Management, and Policy at Boston University, and is a PMP-certified project manager. Edima's current project is focused on women's leadership in global health. However, she has 13+ years of experience across different intervention areas, and expertise in program design, planning, budgeting, implementation coordination, and evaluation. Edima has received numerous awards for her work, including the 40 Under 40 Public Health Catalyst Award by the Boston Congress of Public Health and the Henrik L. Blum Excellence in Health Planning Award by the American Public Health Association. She is also an Elinor Ostrom fellow at the Mercatus Center, George Mason University, and an alumnus of various other fellowships.
Please email [email protected] with any questions.