About Us
BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, BOSTON
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School;
Assistant Professor, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health;
Director of Social Science Research, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
Elizabeth Janiak, ScD
Elizabeth Janiak is an interdisciplinary public health researcher and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Her research explores how government and institutional policies create inequities in access to and quality of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care, including contraceptive, abortion, and obstetric services. Current projects include several studies of mifepristone use for abortion and early pregnancy loss, social factors shaping postpartum contraceptive use, and the impacts of abortion-related travel following the Dobbs decision.
Dr. Janiak completed her undergraduate and graduate training at Harvard. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Society of Family Planning, and multiple institutional and foundation grants. Dr. Janiak’s work has been cited by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and covered in dozens of media outlets including The Boston Globe, Salon, and National Public Radio. A full list of Dr. Janiak’s publications can be found via Harvard Catalyst.
Program Manager, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Anusha Venkatesh, MBBS, MPH
Anusha Venkatesh is the program manager in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She graduated with an MPH in Global Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. As an intern with Ariadne Labs, she was actively involved in research and implementation of a residency education curriculum to promote birth equity and shared decision-making. She completed her medical school training from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal in 2020 and subsequently worked in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, particularly in primary health care institutions. She is passionate about improving access, health literacy and education in maternal health and reproductive justice to improve overall outcomes.
Research Assistant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Alia Dorothy Cornell
Alia is a Research Assistant in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She graduated with a BS in Biology and Sociology from UCLA, where she first became involved in sexual and reproductive health access research. She is passionate about abortion access and assists on projects related to medication abortion services in primary care and travel for abortion care in a post-Dobbs landscape. She also assists on projects related to postpartum contraception. She has a particular interest in qualitative methods as she appreciates the ability of this research to amplify the voices of historically underserved patient populations.
UNIVERSITY Of CHICAGO
Director, ExPAND Mifepristone
Dr. Debra Stulberg
Dr. Stulberg is the Director of ExPAND Mifepristone. Her research explores racial and socioeconomic disparities in reproductive health in the United States. She has a special interest in understanding the effect of religiously-sponsored health care in reproductive health, medical decision-making, and the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Stulberg is also Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of Family Medicine, The University of Chicago with secondary appointments at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Section of Family Planning & Contraceptive Research, and the Maclean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics.
Research Manager, Department of Family Medicine, The University of Chicago
Ashley McHugh, MBA
Ashley McHugh is the Research Manager for the Department of Family Medicine, The University of Chicago. She manages research operations including study management and regulatory compliance, grants and contracts over the life cycle, and serves as a resource for collaborators and research staff. Ashley has a Master’s in Business Administration with a background in Psychology. She is passionate about access to reproductive healthcare, maternal and child health, and gender equity in the workplace.
ExPAND Mifepristone Coordinator
Hannah Shireman
Hannah Shireman is the ExPAND Mifepristone Coordinator. She leads program coordination for the learning collaborative and supports all aspects of study implementation including regulatory compliance, data collection and analyses and manuscript preparation. Hannah is a Master of Human Rights with a background in legal advocacy. She is particularly interested in understanding and addressing inequities across systems and public policy. Hannah is also a Research Analyst for the Department of Family Medicine, The University of Chicago.
Research Assistant, Department of Family Medicine, The University of Chicago
Valeria Hernandez
Valeria is a Research Assistant for the Department of Family Medicine, The University of Chicago. She assists with all aspects of study activities including regulatory compliance, data collection and analyses, manuscript preparation, and programmatic support. Valeria has a B.S. in Psychology and her past research involved topics such as optimism-pessimism, coping, sex, sexuality, and relationships. She hopes to continue studying societal inequities and has a special interest in developing her skills in data science.