Christina Pell Marea

Christina Pell Marea is an Assistant Professor in the Midwifery/Women's Health Nursing Practitioner Program at Georgetown University School of Nursing and a Faculty Fellow at the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service (2023-2025). She practices clinically at Community of Hope, a federally-qualified health center serving Washington D.C.'s Wards 5 and 7.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University
• MSN in Nurse Midwifery from Yale University
• MAC in Conflict Resolution from University of Bradford
• BSFS in International Relations from Georgetown University

Dr. Marea's research centers on reproductive justice and health inequities, specifically examining how structural racism impacts Black birthing people and developing health system interventions for marginalized communities. Her clinical experience spans birth centers for Latina immigrants, rural Guatemalan hospitals, refugee camps in South Sudan, and care for incarcerated teens, reflecting deep commitment to structurally excluded populations. She employs qualitative methodologies to bridge research, policy, and clinical practice in maternal health.

Her featured publications reveal consistent focus on systemic barriers in reproductive healthcare, including homelessness during pregnancy, postpartum disparities, structural racism, and culturally competent care for FGM/C survivors. These works demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches blending public health, social justice, and clinical midwifery to address racial inequities in birth outcomes.

Key recognitions include:

• Rotary World Peace Fellowship
• NIH T32 Fellowship for violence in the family
• KL2 Junior Faculty Scholar award
• Hillman Foundation Innovation in Care Award (as Co-PI)
• Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (FACNM)

She currently leads NIH-funded research as KL2 scholar and co-directs a Hillman Foundation study on racism-mitigating postpartum care models. Her policy engagement includes advising the DC Department of Health, serving on the DC Maternal Mortality Review Committee, and shaping national birth equity metrics through NCQA panels. She combines grant-funded scholarship with direct service to translate evidence into community-based interventions.

Dr. Marea chairs the American College of Nurse Midwives' Division of Global Engagement and represents ACNM at the International Confederation of Midwives. Her work with Community of Hope and prior leadership at Yale's Haven Free Clinic exemplify her commitment to integrating clinical practice, social support systems, and advocacy for undocumented immigrants and other vulnerable groups.