Stephanie Hernandez

Stephanie Hernandez, PhD, MS, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health. She holds a secondary appointment as Adjunct Assistant Professor in Maternal and Child Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her education includes a PhD in Applied Demography from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and MS and BS degrees in Demography and Sociology from Florida State University.

Dr. Hernandez’s research focuses on sexual and gender minority (SGM) health inequities, intersectionality, and socioeconomic disparities. Key areas include documenting SGM health disparities across the life course, integrating biopsychosocial frameworks, and operationalizing intersectionality in health research. She co-leads the Queer Inclusion, Equality, Health & Rights (QuIEHR) Working Group at Drexel and serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern Demographic Association.

Her publications highlight themes such as LGBTQ+ health disparities, racial/ethnic health inequities, and methodological approaches to understanding minority stress. Recent work examines barriers to healthcare access, mortality inequities, and transgender health outcomes. She has contributed to studies on Black immigrant health, Hispanic mortality patterns, and the impact of policy changes on health disparities.

Dr. Hernandez has led initiatives to improve data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity in national health surveys, emphasizing the importance of accurate measurement for addressing health inequities. Her research has been presented at conferences such as the Population Association of America and the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science.