Larissa Jennings Mayo-Wilson

Larissa Jennings Mayo-Wilson, PhD MHS, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. She is also a faculty fellow at the Carolina Population Center, a research fellow at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the UNC School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dr. Jennings Mayo-Wilson's educational background includes:

• PhD in Population, Family, and Reproductive Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2009)
• MHS in International Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2005)
• BA in Social Anthropology from Harvard University (2001)

As a sexual and reproductive health behavioral scientist with expertise in epidemiology, biostatistics, and qualitative methods, Dr. Jennings Mayo-Wilson's research focuses on improving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes for economically disadvantaged adolescents and young adults. Her work centers on three interconnected areas: designing economic and environmental interventions through randomized clinical trials; investigating how economic factors like poverty and workplace policies affect SRH care-seeking; and examining self-care approaches to SRH services in resource-limited settings. Her research particularly emphasizes HIV prevention and treatment, STI self-testing, fertility care, and how economic justice intersects with health outcomes.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on vulnerable populations in both domestic and international contexts, with significant work conducted in Uganda and Kenya. Her research consistently applies behavioral economics frameworks to understand and address health disparities, with particular attention to how mobile technology can improve health service access in underserved communities. The interdisciplinary nature of her work bridges public health, economics, and implementation science to develop practical interventions that address the structural barriers to SRH.

Dr. Jennings Mayo-Wilson has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing her contributions to research and teaching:

• Gillings School Teaching Innovation Award (2025)
• Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award, K01 (2020, NIH)
• Health Disparities Research Loan Repayment Award (2018, NIH)
• Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching Award (2015, Johns Hopkins)
• PRIDE Scholars Training Award, Comparative Effectiveness Research (2015, NIH)
• HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) Scholar (2014, NIH)

She currently leads or collaborates on multiple significant research projects including NIH R01 studies on education and employment support for HIV prevention, work and wellness for rural families, medication adherence incentives, and community responses to economic and HIV vulnerability. Dr. Jennings Mayo-Wilson serves as an Associate Editor for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and provides advisory expertise to the National Working Positive Coalition, Guaranteed Income & Health Consortium, and Adolescent Trials Network. Her research is supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Gilead Sciences, demonstrating the broad relevance and impact of her work on sexual and reproductive health equity.