The Visionary
“The health care system is deeply fragmented, and its structures have long created barriers to equitable care.
As a result, the needs, priorities, and concerns of many birthing people, especially those from historically marginalized communities, are often overlooked or inadequately addressed.
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Pushing Public Health Forward
Meet The Woman Behind The Work.
Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha is the Julia A. Okoro Professor of Black Maternal Health, Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, and Professor in the Departments of Public Health and Community Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She is the Founder and Director of the Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice, and also established the Annual Black Maternal Health Conference at Tufts, one of the largest gatherings of its kind at a U.S. medical school.
Her academic and research portfolio centers on improving health outcomes for historically underrepresented communities, with a particular focus on maternal health, inclusive medical education, and access to care. She leads several federally funded research studies through the NIH and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, working at the intersection of public health, clinical practice, and community engagement.
Dr. Amutah-Onukagha also serves as the President and Founder of Amaka Consulting and Evaluation Services, LLC (ACES), a certified minority- and woman-owned firm specializing in public health research and evaluation. Under her leadership, ACES supports projects across the country in partnership with nonprofit, governmental, and academic institutions. Her clients include the American Public Health Association, Boston Public Health Commission, March of Dimes, Susan G. Komen, NASTAD, Power to Decide, and Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, among others.
She holds a Ph.D. in Public Health from the University of Maryland, College Park, an MPH from The George Washington University, and dual bachelor’s degrees from Rutgers University in Public Health and Africana Studies. As a first-generation college graduate, Dr. Amutah-Onukagha remains deeply committed to mentoring emerging leaders in the field.
She is the author of over 85 peer-reviewed manuscripts, multiple book chapters, and a bestselling guide on culturally responsive evaluation. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Lancet, TEDx, The Boston Globe, STAT Health, and MSNBC, and she is regularly invited to speak at national conferences hosted by institutions including NIH, CDC, APHA, and AcademyHealth.