Danielle Nazarenko, MSN, CNM, CLC, Stephanie Mucha Scholar

• Hometown: Saratoga Springs, NY
  
• Favorite Self-Care Activities: Swimming in the ocean, reading, meditation
  
• Undergraduate Education: Master of Science, Nursing-Midwifery, Frontier Nursing University; Bachelor of Science, Nursing, Binghamton University; Bachelor of Arts, French, Skidmore College
  
• Current Program: PhD

I chose UB School of Nursing because of its reputation for scholarship and its commitment to diversity, inclusion and health justice.

I was drawn to nurse-midwifery because of my desire to empower people, not only in childbirth but in all areas of their reproductive health, including lactation, family planning and gynecological well-being. By turning my professional focus to research, I hope to make a positive impact on the population level. My research interests include racial/ethnic disparities in reproductive and perinatal outcomes, the lived experience of birthing and postpartum people, and perinatal nursing care.

My career goals include making regular, meaningful contributions to reproductive and perinatal research and continuing my work in academia as a nurse educator.

I hope my work as a researcher will help to identify and address problems within our health care system and improve care and outcomes for birthing people and their families.

I feel incredibly honored to receive this fellowship. This invaluable support will allow me to dedicate myself full-time to training as a nurse scientist.