Donna M. Cole

Donna M. Cole serves as Interim Department Chair and Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Suffolk University, having previously held a position at Trinity College. A medical sociologist with public health expertise in infectious diseases, her work centers on racial health equity and the social determinants of health.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Sociology/Anthropology, Northeastern University
• MPH in Public Health (Epidemiology), University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• M.Ed. in Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation, Boston College
• B.A. in Sociology, University of Dayton

Dr. Cole's research examines the health consequences of justice involvement for African Americans and individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. She is a leading voice on restorative justice, harm reduction, and HIV/AIDS disparities, with recent work highlighting the maternal health impacts of restrictive abortion policies on African American women. Her scholarship consistently links criminal justice policies to public health outcomes, advocating for evidence-based interventions such as overdose prevention centers.

Analysis of her recent publications (2017-2023) reveals a strong thematic focus on health equity at the intersection of race, gender, and criminal justice. She employs qualitative methods to explore lived experiences of African American women with HIV/AIDS and develops frameworks for restorative justice in educational settings to combat the school-to-prison pipeline.

Professor Cole mentors students who pursue impactful careers across multiple sectors. Her teaching emphasizes structural competence and designing equity-focused interventions. She actively engages in policy advocacy, notably supporting Connecticut's Bill No. 9 for supervised substance use facilities, demonstrating her commitment to translating research into real-world solutions.