Kristin Z. Black, PhD, MPH

About

Kristin Z. Black, PhD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Departments of Maternal and Child Health and Health Behavior. Dr. Black is commitment to utilizing community-based participatory research, mixed methods, and racial equity approaches to understand and address inequities in reproductive health and chronic disease outcomes. Her research merges 3 key components. First, Dr. Black explores the connections between reproductive health, maternal health, and chronic diseases, and if these outcomes differ by race/ethnicity or other social identities. Second, she focuses on understanding what individual- and systems-level factors may hinder or facilitate birthing people’s journey through maternal healthcare services. Third, she is committed to transforming research into action by engaging community stakeholders in implementing and sustaining interventions that tackle health inequities and structural racism.

Currently, Dr. Black is a part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s first cohort of Health Equity Scholars for Action. She partners with investigators at the Ohio State University, Washington University in St. Louis, Boston University, Elon University, and East Carolina University. She is the external evaluator for the HRSA-funded NC Baby Love Plus program and Southeastern NC Healthy Start Program that are administered by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, she is a qualitative research consultant for ResearchTalk.

Honors and Awards

50 for 50 Showcase (of outstanding UNC Gillings affiliates of color who have made significant contributions to public health)
2022, Minority Student Caucus, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

Diversity Institute for Emerging Leaders
2021, Society of Behavioral Medicine

Health Equity Leadership Institute (HELI)
2019, University of Wisconsin-Madison

UNC Dissertation Completion Fellowship
2016, UNC Graduate School

Robert E. Bryan Public Service Award
2015, UNC Carolina Center for Public Service

Cynthia H. Cassell Doctoral Dissertation Award
2014, UNC Department of Maternal and Child Health

Delta Omega Honorary Public Health Society, Theta Chapter Service Award
2014, UNC Department of Maternal and Child Health

Maternal and Child Health Section Fellowship
2012-2013, American Public Health Association

Carolina Community Network to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities Training Program Fellow
2011-2015, UNC Lineberger

Delta Omega Honorary Public Health Society, Theta Chapter Academic Inductee
2011, UNC Department of Maternal and Child Health

Minority Training Program in Cancer Control Research
2010, University of California-San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Cultural Ambassadorial Scholar to Venezuela
2007, Rotary International

Gloria Steinem Leadership Institute (on reproductive justice)
2005, Choice USA

Christine LaFia Award (dedication to Mills community & high academic achievement)
2004, Mills College

Mills of Color Award (MOCA), Solid Rock Award (dedication to diversity & social justice)
2004, Mills College

Mills of Color Award (MOCA), Outstanding Senior
2004, Mills College

Mills of Color Award (MOCA), Impact Award
2004, Mills College

Palladium Award (academic success & serving the Mills community)
2003, Mills College

University Mobility in Asia & the Pacific Leaders Program
2002, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

Scholar-Athlete Award (Crew team)
2001-2002, Mills College

Research Activities

Maternal/Birthing People Health

Reproductive Health & Justice

Maternal Mortality & Morbidity

Chronic Disease

Cancer

Health Equity

Structural Racism

Structural Competency

Community-Based Participatory Research

Qualitative Inquiry

Mixed Methods Research

Service Activities

Dr. Black is dedicated to serving the public health profession and community organizations in the pursuit of health equity. She is a member of the Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative (a 2 decade-old community-medical-academic partnership), chair of Gillings’ Alumni Association Advisory Board, member of Gillings’ Public Health Foundation Board, member of UNC’s Carolina Alumni Board of Directors, and president of the Society for the Analysis of African American Public Health Issues.

Key Publications

How community-based participatory research can thrive in virtual spaces: Connecting through photovoice. Black KZ, Faustin YF.  (2022). Human Organization, 81(3), 240-247.

Expanding the reach of an evidence-based, system-level, racial equity intervention: Translating ACCURE to the maternal healthcare and education systems. Baker SL, Black KZ, Dixon CE, Yongue CM, Mason HN, McCarter P, Manning M, Hessmiller J, Griesemer I, Garikipati A, Eng E, Bullock DK, Bosire C, Alexander KM, Lightfoot AF.  (2021). Frontiers in Public Health. Dec 14;9(664709):1-8., 9(664709), 1-8.

Health care: Antiracism organizing for culture and institutional change in cancer care. In: Ford CL, Griffith DM, Bruce MA, Gilbert KL, editors. . Black KZ, Baker SL, Robertson LB, Lightfoot AF, Alexander-Bratcher KM, Befus D, Cothern C, Dixon CE, Ellis KR, Guerrab F, Schaal JC, Simon B, Smith B, Thatcher K, Wilson SM, Yongue CM, Eng E.  (2019). Racism: Science & Tools for the Public Health Professional. Washington, D.C.: APHA Press.

‘It’s like you don’t have a roadmap really’: Using an antiracism framework to analyze patients’ encounters in the cancer system. Black KZ, Lightfoot AF, Schaal JC, Mouw MS, Yongue C, Samuel CA, Faustin YF, Ackert KL, Akins B, Baker SL, Foley K, Hilton AR, Mann-Jackson L, Robertson LB, Shin JY, Yonas M, Eng E. (2021). Ethnicity & Health., 26(5), 676-696.

The other side of through: Young breast cancer survivors’ spectrum of reproductive and sexual health needs. Black KZ, Eng E, Schaal JC, Johnson L, Nichols HB, Ellis KR, Rowley DL.  (2020). Qualitative Health Research, 30(13), 2019-2032.

Education