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INFORMATION FOR

    Jessica Lewis, PhD, LMFT

    Research Scientist
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    Additional Titles

    Deputy Director, Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity, Yale Cancer Center

    Board Member, Dean's Advisory Council for LGBTQI+ Affairs, Yale University

    Co-Founder, Expect With Me, CDE

    About

    Titles

    Research Scientist

    Deputy Director, Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity, Yale Cancer Center; Board Member, Dean's Advisory Council for LGBTQI+ Affairs, Yale University; Co-Founder, Expect With Me, CDE

    Biography

    Jessica Lewis, Ph.D., MFT (she/her/hers) is a Research Scientist at the Yale School of Medicine and Deputy Director for the Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity at the Yale Cancer Center. Additionally, Dr. Lewis is a licensed family therapist. Dr. Lewis has directed research projects on health behaviors, health equity, and women’s sexual, reproductive, and mental health at Yale for more than 27 years. Her research investigates the interplay of complex biomedical, behavioral, social, and structural factors that influence individual, family, and community health. She uses this lens to examine challenges faced by those often marginalized by the health care system and by society. Dr. Lewis is co-founder of Expect With Me, a technology-enabled group model of prenatal care, which has been demonstrated to significantly improve maternal-child health outcomes. Dr. Lewis has extensive experience directing large multi-site research projects; promoting interdisciplinary team science; and engaging community stakeholders to improve public health. Dr. Lewis is interested in multi-level social determinants of health and wellness and bringing health innovations to scale through creative transdisciplinary, multi-sector partnerships. Dr. Lewis is an author of 70 peer-reviewed publications.

    Appointments

    Education & Training

    PhD
    City University of New York, Graduate Center, Social Welfare (2019)
    MA
    Southern CT State University, Marriage and Family Therapy (2004)
    BA
    Smith College, Women's Studies/Biology (1994)

    Research

    Overview

    Jessica Lewis, Ph.D., MFT (she/her/hers) is a Research Scientist at the Yale School of Medicine and Deputy Director for the Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity at the Yale Cancer Center. Additionally, Dr. Lewis is a licensed family therapist. Dr. Lewis has directed research on health behaviors, health equity, and women’s sexual, reproductive, and mental health at Yale for more than 27 years. Her research investigates the interplay of complex biomedical, behavioral, social, and structural factors that influence individual and family health. She uses this lens to examine challenges faced by those often marginalized by the health care system and by society.

    Dr. Lewis serves as Deputy Director for the Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity at the Yale Cancer Center, where she seeks to build infrastructure to elevate scholarship on cancer disparities and ensure Yale cancer research is responsive to community needs across CT. Dr. Lewis is co-founder of Expect With Me, a technology-enabled group model of prenatal care, which has been demonstrated to significantly improve maternal-child health outcomes. Dr. Lewis has extensive experience directing large multi-site research projects with methodological rigor and cultural sensitivity. Dr. Lewis is interested in multi-level social and structural determinants of health and wellness and bringing health innovations to scale through creative transdisciplinary, multi-sector partnerships. Dr. Lewis is an author of 70 peer-reviewed publications.

    Medical Research Interests

    Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Health Status Disparities; Healthcare Disparities; Social Sciences

    Public Health Interests

    Behavioral Health; Breastfeeding; Cancer; Health Care Management; Health Policy; HIV/AIDS; Maternal & Child Health; Mental Health; Poverty and Economic Security; Reproduction; Sexually-Transmitted Infections; Women's Health; Child/Adolescent Health; Health Equity, Disparities, Social Determinants and Justice; Health Systems Reform; Perinatal/Prenatal Health

    Research at a Glance

    Yale Co-Authors

    Frequent collaborators of Jessica Lewis's published research.

    Publications

    Featured Publications

    2024

    2023

    2021

    Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

    • activity

      International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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      Ste Suite A-200

      New Haven, CT 06519