Adenike McDonald is a doctoral candidate in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Public Health and a Program Manager at the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) Center for Maternal Health Equity. Her work is centered on advancing maternal health equity through epidemiologic research, community-engaged approaches, and the translation of evidence into programs and practice.

At UGA, Adenike’s doctoral research examines maternal health, digital technology, and access to care, with a particular focus on understanding and addressing delays in seeking, reaching, and receiving appropriate maternal and preconception care. Her dissertation integrates evidence synthesis and quantitative research to examine how digital health interventions and other factors may influence care-seeking and maternal health outcomes. Her broader research experience also includes global health and infectious disease research, including work examining post-tuberculosis disability and mental health outcomes among tuberculosis survivors in Kampala, Uganda.

At Morehouse School of Medicine, Adenike serves as a Program Manager within the Center for Maternal Health Equity, where she supports and coordinates multidisciplinary research, training, and community-engaged initiatives focused on improving maternal health outcomes. Her work includes the CORAL Center of Excellence, which addresses maternal behavioral health through research, workforce development, and community partnership, as well as Project IMPACT, a community-based initiative examining approaches to strengthen preconception counseling and care-seeking among women across the southeastern United States. In her role, she works across research teams, community partners, investigators, and institutional leadership to support program implementation, evaluation, dissemination, partnership development, and strategic initiatives.

Prior to her work in the United States, Adenike served as an Environmental Health Specialist with Jamaica’s Ministry of Health. Her experiences across public health practice, research, and program management have shaped her commitment to developing evidence-informed, community-centered approaches that reduce health disparities and improve maternal and population health outcomes.