Stephanie L. Martin

Stephanie L. Martin, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research focuses on social and behavioral interventions to improve nutrition during pregnancy, lactation, and childhood in the U.S. and globally. She leads projects in Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Appalachia, addressing infant feeding practices, maternal and child health, and family engagement in nutrition. Dr. Martin also coordinates the Family Inclusion in Nutrition through Engagement (FINE) Community of Practice, a global network focused on involving family members in nutrition support.

Education: PhD in Nutrition from Cornell University (2016), MEd in Adult Education from George Mason University (2003), BA in International Studies from American University (1997). Prior to academia, she spent 13 years as a public health practitioner, implementing programs in maternal health, HIV prevention, and community training. Her work emphasizes partnerships with local NGOs and governments.

Research interests include implementation science, family engagement in health behaviors, and global health equity. She has conducted studies on adherence to prenatal supplements in Ethiopia and Kenya, breastfeeding support in North Carolina, and safe infant feeding practices post-disasters. Current projects explore paternal and familial support for nutrition in Zambia, adolescent nutrition in Kenyan informal settlements, and strategies for working mothers in Tanzania to maintain breastfeeding.

Dr. Martin’s work has been featured in journals like Advances in Nutrition, American Journal of Public Health, and Maternal & Child Nutrition. She teaches NUTR 723: Community Nutrition and has contributed to large-scale initiatives such as the $90M Global Health PEARL project, which supports localized evidence generation for public health interventions.