Lia C. Haskin Fernald

Lia C. Haskin Fernald is a Professor of Community Health Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health. Her research focuses on socio-economic disparities, child health, and development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with an emphasis on systemic interventions to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations, particularly children in poverty. She holds a Fulbright Scholar distinction from Jamaica, a PhD from the University of London, an MBA from UC Berkeley, and a BA from Swarthmore College.

Her research interests include interventions to address health inequities, child nutrition, immigrant health, and the role of early-life experiences in shaping developmental trajectories. Notable areas of study include environmental enteric dysfunction, stress biomarkers in child development, and the impact of tax policies like the Child Tax Credit on family well-being. Her work spans Bangladesh, Kenya, India, and other LMICs, with a focus on scalable solutions.

Dr. Fernald has pioneered multi-arm cluster-randomized trials evaluating integrated interventions (e.g., water, sanitation, nutrition, psychosocial stimulation) on child outcomes. Her studies often address policy gaps, such as barriers to accessing safety net programs and the effects of digital tools on health-worker performance. She also explores intergenerational impacts of education and economic policies in contexts like India and Kenya.

Her work has been featured in outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle and VoxDev, and she collaborates with institutions like the Berkeley Food Institute and the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA). Awards include the Fulbright Scholar designation, and her research has informed global health strategies, including combatting infant formula marketing in LMICs.

Dr. Fernald teaches courses on global nutrition, U.S. food policies, and maternal-child health, bridging academic research with public health practice. Her grants and studies emphasize equity-focused interventions, often involving community health workers and government systems.