Kathryn Wouk

Kathryn Wouk, PhD, MS, IBCLC holds dual roles as Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina's Gillings School of Global Public Health (Department of Maternal and Child Health) and Associate Research Scientist at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) in Chapel Hill. Her work focuses on improving maternal-child health outcomes, particularly among Spanish-speaking populations and families affected by substance use or criminal justice involvement.

Education:

• PhD in Maternal and Child Health (Epidemiology minor), UNC Gillings School (2018)
• MS in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition, Tufts University (2011)
• BA in Foreign Affairs and Spanish, University of Virginia (2005)

Research Interests: Katie's research bridges epidemiology and public health practice to address systemic gaps in postpartum care. Key areas include:

• Linking infant feeding practices to maternal mental health outcomes
• Geospatial analysis of lactation resource accessibility
• Perinatal substance use treatment optimization
• Culturally responsive care for Latinx communities

Her work contributed to North Carolina's Medicaid policy changes for lactation service reimbursement.

Service & Leadership:

• Board Member, El Vinculo Hispano (Chatham County)
• Board Member, Global Health Foundation
• Treasurer, North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition (2015-2019)
• Co-Chair, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Workgroup (UNC Maternal Child Health Department)

Grants & Awards: Notable funding includes the 2019 NC TraCS Pilot Award for community health center collaboration.

Collaborations: Active partnerships with UNC's Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute, Department of Family Medicine, and Western NC clinical/community networks.