Biography

Dr. Blackman is an Assistant Professor in the Health Equity and Research (HERE) Center and the Department of Health Sciences at California State University, Northridge. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Performance from Howard University (with honors) and PhD in Human Nutrition, Foods, & Exercise from Virginia Tech.

Further, Dr. Blackman completed a Postdoctoral fellowship in Cancer Prevention and Control in the Division of Health Behavior Research in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. She also worked as a Research Analyst in the Division of HIV & STDs in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Dr. Blackman is a behavioral scientist that is interested in multi-level community partnered participatory approaches to support birthing persons and their families primarily through developing, implementing, and evaluating perceptions, experiences and health outcomes in perinatal care. Her lab is also interested in employing culturally informed and health literacy appropriate mobile health technologies in community settings.

Dr. Blackman's work focuses on maternal and infant health primarily through breastfeeding inequities with an emphasis in Black families. Further, her lab studies the roles of communities, policies, and birth equity workers (doulas, childbirth educators) on the health of birthing persons and their families.

Dr. Blackman's lab assesses how the structural and social determinants of health play an integral role on maternal and infant health. She looks forward to collaborating with communities, community leaders, physical/mental health professionals and other researchers.

Publications

Full list of publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/browse/collection/46088241/?sort=date&directi on=descending

Research Projects

• Doulas' Perspectives about Providing Support to Birthing Families During COVID-19
• Black Birth Equity Workers Glowing Through COVID-19
• Determining the availability and marketing of infant formula and lactation support products
• Augmented Reality Milk Flow
• Evaluating the Quality of Lactation in Higher Education Policies in California