Monique Pardo-Montez, BSN, RN, IBCLC is a recipient of the T32 Predoctoral Research Fellowship in the Nurse-LEADS training program. She is a postpartum nurse and lactation consultant at UNC Medical Center, where she works on 5 Women’s – a unit close to her heart as a former patient. She earned her BSN from UNC–Chapel Hill in 2020 and completed a Nurse Residency program at Duke University Hospital on a cardiology unit. Her research focuses on the mother-infant-microbiome triad, exploring how human milk influences the development of the infant microbiome to prevent chronic immune-mediated conditions. Her inspiration comes from her daughter, who overcame her own health challenges after years of navigating fragmented care – an experience that fueled Monique’s passion for advancing research. Proudly Puerto Rican and Cuban, Monique’s identity shapes her commitment to supporting the Latin American community and advocating for health equity. She is dedicated to improving the lives of people who have historically faced systemic barriers, working to create opportunities to optimize their health. Monique chose to pursue a career in nursing to pay forward the kindness she once received by striving to be a force for meaningful change in patient care, scientific innovation, and healthcare policy. She looks forward to continuing her growth in a profession where she contributes to a workforce entrusted with society’s most valuable asset – people.

Ijeoma C Uwandu, BSN, RN started her career in nursing in 2009. Since then, she has worked in specialties including long-term care, acute care, home care, wellness, and psychiatry. Most recently, she worked on an acute spinal cord and telemetry unit at the Veterans’ Hospital in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. As part of the Registered Nurse-Transition to Practice (RN-TTP) program offered by the VA Healthcare System, she undertook a research project comparing the effectiveness of antiseptic agents of the urethral meatus in the prevention of Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI). Being born and raised in Nigeria, she has seen firsthand the devastating results of inequitable healthcare leading to health outcomes that were otherwise preventable. Black perinatal mental health is a critical aspect of this, as black women have a significantly higher risk of developing perinatal mood disorders and experiencing maternal-infant mortality. She understands the need for comprehensive patient care, which drove her interest in population health with a focus on health equity and underserved communities. She is specifically focused on black perinatal mental health and the implementation of culturally sensitive and responsive mental health screening tools, recognizing that proper mental health care is crucial during the perinatal period and can significantly improve outcomes for both mothers and babies. Her goal as a nurse scientist is to continue to bridge the gap caused by disparities in patient care across the healthcare continuum, by implementing interventional strategies and culturally sensitive mental health screening tools and addressing the hesitancy to seek mental health care in order to ensure underserved black women in the perinatal space have unrestricted access to equitable mental healthcare.

Kevin Gao MSN, RN-BC is a PhD student at Duke University School of Nursing aiming to study the intersection between social determinants of health and neurological care in hopes of improving stroke care in marginalized communities. He received his BSN at Belmont University School of Nursing and his MSN in nursing education at Duke University School of Nursing. He is a registered nurse with experience in medical surgical nursing, clinical nursing, and neurological step-down nursing. He is a nurse educator with experience working as a clinical instructor and a nursing school faculty at the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing. He values nursing research and collaboration. He values compassion, diversity, and cultural awareness. His goal is to become a nursing scientist to address health disparities and ensure equal care and education is given to all through commitment to research and evidence-based practice to advance the philosophy and the science of nursing.

I earned my BSN at Universidad de los Andes’ School of Nursing (Chile), and later obtained a Master's in Aging and Quality of Life from Universidad de Chile. In 2017, while serving as the chief nurse at a senior residence, I was responsible for managing the care of 90 elderly individuals and overseeing the caregiver staff. During this time, I observed that many caregivers were exhausted and exhibited signs of burnout. This experience sparked my passion: caring for the elderly and supporting those who provide their care. Currently, I work as a faculty member at Universidad de los Andes’ School of Nursing (Chile). With six years of teaching experience, my main objective is to instill in students the belief that they can change the world through compassionate care. Collaboratively, I have developed a comprehensive training program for caregivers—a pursuit that truly ignites my enthusiasm. Through my research, I aspire to demonstrate that, with the right knowledge and societal support, caregivers can significantly alleviate their burden.