OUR TEAM

background

In 2018, Dr. Kyrah Brown established Maternal and Reproductive Health Equity (MRHE) Research Lab [formerly the MCH Equity Lab]. Prior to establishing the Lab, Dr. Brown spent nearly five years providing research supervision and training to students and early career scholars in both practice and academic settings. The MRHE Lab is pronounced “Emery”, which is also the name of a natural mineral that is used as an abrasive agent to polish metals. This name represents how our goal is to produce research that can be leveraged as a tool to wear down existing social and structural inequities that negatively impact the health of Black and other racially minoritized people.

Meet the Research Team

A photograph of Dr. Kyrah Brown — **Dr. Kyrah Brown (she/her) Research Director**

Dr. Kyrah Brown is the founder and director of the Maternal and Reproductive Health Equity Research Lab. She has over 12 years of research and practice experience in maternal and infant health. She is a proud alumna of Spelman College, earned her doctorate at Wichita State University (Community Psychology), and completed an academic-public health postdoctoral fellowship at Sedgwick County Health Department and KU School of Medicine. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology Public Health Program; and has expertise in mixed-methods research, community-based participatory research, and program and coalition evaluation. She is passionate about partnering with community and leveraging research and evaluation to aid in dismantling the racial and social inequities, rooted in structural gendered racism, that impact Black women and other women of color. Her work in this space is not only driven by personal experience, but is grounded in ubuntu (I am because we are)–a belief in collective personhood… a collective responsibility to assure optimal health and quality of life for everyone. She is purposed with mentoring students, especially those who are historically excluded and underrepresented in academia, to support their career development. She is also dedicated to community service and advocacy, spending time with her family and friends, enjoying the arts, cooking, and being outdoors.

**Dr. Brandie Green (she/her) Faculty Affiliate**

Dr. Brandie Green is a faculty affiliate in the MRHE Research Lab. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor and BSPH Program Director in the Department of Kinesiology Public Health Program. She has interest in health disparities, health equity, and health policies. Dr. Green is a proud alumna of THE Xavier University of Louisiana and the University of North Texas Health Science Center where she earned her master’s degree in Public Health. She also earned her doctorate in health administration and policy from the UTA. Dr. Green joined UTA in 2009 as the Director of the Health Careers Institute. She then joined the Bachelor