Suellen Miller

Suellen Miller, PhD, CNM, is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. She serves as Director of Safe Motherhood Programs, leading global initiatives to reduce maternal mortality through evidence-based interventions in low-resource settings.

Her academic journey includes a C.N.M. in Nurse-Midwifery from Meharry Medical School (1977), an M.A. in Health Services Administration from Antioch University West (1982), and a Ph.D. in Family Health Care/Nursing from UCSF (1994). This multidisciplinary foundation underpins her innovative approach to maternal healthcare challenges.

Dr. Miller's research focuses on safe motherhood, maternal health systems, and evidence-based maternity care with emphasis on postpartum hemorrhage management and obstetric fistula care. Her pioneering work includes developing the Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) and Project mMitra's voice messaging system for rural India. She champions respectful maternity care and implementation science to translate research into practice across diverse cultural contexts.

Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals consistent focus on implementation strategies for maternal health interventions, particularly postpartum hemorrhage care bundles and fistula reintegration programs. Her work combines quantitative and qualitative methods to address systemic barriers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, with strong emphasis on community engagement and context-specific adaptation of global health tools.

Her major recognitions include:

• Society of Medical Anthropology Polgar Prize (2006) for cross-cultural clinical trials research in Tibet
• UCSF RAP Flexible Mini-Sabbatical Award (2008) for NASG research
• People's Choice Award for Project mMitra (2011) funded by Gates Foundation and USAID

Dr. Miller secures major funding from organizations including the Gates Foundation, USAID, and World Bank for initiatives like LifeWrap and Project mMitra. She mentors global health researchers and produced the 22-minute training video "Saving Mothers' Lives" for Pathfinder International. Her advocacy extends to media platforms including The New York Times, Huffington Post, and GOOD Magazine.

She leads the Safe Motherhood Programs team, collaborating with FIGO, WHO, and Saving Lives at Birth partners to advance maternal health technologies and respectful care standards worldwide. Her work bridges clinical practice, policy advocacy, and community-based innovation to address maternal mortality as both a medical and social justice issue.