Kate Havens, PhD
Kate is an Associate Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy in the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California. Her academic training is in engineering and biomechanics, and she teaches anatomical sciences. Kate became passionate about perinatal health through her own experiences as a mother and caregiver. Currently, her research focuses on the biomechanics of postpartum mothers during infant care tasks such as walking while carrying baby and lifting baby. She hopes that her research will inform the mechanics underlying lumbopelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction. You can find her on this USC site.
Jennifer Bagwell, PT, PhD, DPT
Jenny is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at California State University Long Beach. Her primary research objective is to enhance quality of life through the reduction of joint pathology and the promotion of joint health across the lifespan. Her research focuses on identification of factors associated with perinatal low back pain, pelvic girdle pain, and urinary incontinence to inform the development of prevention and treatment strategies for this population. She is passionate about facilitating translation of this work through collaboration with clinicians dedicated to the same goal. You can also find her on this California State University Long Beach Site.
Robert Catena, PhD
Robert is an Associate Professor at Washington State University. He studies biomechanical and neurological aspects of balance and postural control. Robert became interested in perinatal health as his wife was pregnant with their first child and seeing the challenges she faced, including falls and injuries. Currently, his research focuses on discovering the factors that increase fall rates during pregnancy and understanding how pregnancy influenced females evolving to be more susceptible to injury and disease. He envisions a future where biomechanical health/wellness is incorporated into obstetric medical curriculum and a typical obstetric exam. For more information see his Gait and Posture Biomechanics Lab website
Eileen V. Johnson, PT, DPT
Eileen is a Physical Therapist and clinical faculty in the University of Southern California Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy. She is a board-certified women’s health clinical specialist, she specializes in treating those with pelvic floor dysfunction. She has a passion and dedication to helping patients during pregnancy and postpartum with orthopedic/lumbopelvic conditions, in hopes to restore and improve well-being and helping with their transition into parenthood. She is involved in clinical research collaborations within the Division and various USC medical depts (Urology, Urogynecology and OB-GYN) focusing on pelvic health. She is also passionate with helping grow and elevate the field of pelvic health from the academic roots and assists in teaching the pelvic health content in the USC physical therapy academic curriculum to further spread and advocate for this special population.
Emily Little, PhD, CLEC
Emily is a perinatal health educator, researcher, and advocate, and is the Founder and Executive Director of Nurturely (nurturely.org). She completed her PhD at University of California, San Diego in experimental psychology with a specialization in anthropogeny. Emily conducts community-participatory research that combines approaches from anthropology, psychology, and public health to explore infant-caregiver interaction and perinatal health systems, with the end goal of improving policies and societal practices so all infants and caregivers can thrive. She is trained as a Certified Lactation Educator Counselor and is passionate about co-creating preventative, community-led programs that facilitate equitable access to wellness during the perinatal period. Her work in Micronesia, Central and South America, and India inspired her passion for strengthening cultures of support for infants and caregivers and promoting equity in all aspects of her work.
Erin Mannen, PhD
Erin is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Department at Boise State University. She directs the Boise Applied Biomechanics of Infants (BABI) Lab, where her team studies how babies move and use their muscles and what that means for musculoskeletal development and safety in commercial infant products. Her research overlaps into the perinatal world with collaborative projects exploring caregiver biomechanics while using various infant products. Dr. Mannen is thrilled to be a part of this dynamic and passionate team focused on improving perinatal health. You can find her on this Boise State site.
Lela Rankin Williams, Ph.D.
Lela is a Full Professor and the associate director of the School of Social Work, Tucson at Arizona State University. She completed her doctoral and post-doctoral training in infant and child development and she is also a certified babywearing educator. Dr. Williams conducted two randomized intervention studies in the community to empirically test the benefits of babywearing among teenage mothers (study 1) and mothers with substance use disorders (study 2). She has demonstrated health, mental-health, and developmental benefits associated with babywearing for caregivers and infants. For the most up to date updates on her research: https://www.facebook.com/MotherBabyBondingStudy/ https://www.instagram.com/babywearingresearcher/
Sonia Williams, MPH
Sonia is a Doctor of Physical Therapy Student in the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California. She completed her Master of Public Health at the University of Pennsylvania and currently resides in Philadelphia, PA, where she attends USC as part of their hybrid pathway. Sonia is passionate about pelvic health, particularly on the promotion of access to care among medically marginalized communities, and plans to utilize her training to support the perinatal health of persons of all genders.