Melissa Neal, PhD, MPH

• Medical College of Wisconsin – PhD, Public and Community Health
• University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health – Primary Care Research Fellowship

Bio

Melissa Neal, PhD, MPH (she/her/hers) joined the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health (DFMCH) in 2025 as a fellow. Neal is a public health researcher focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes by addressing social and structural determinants of health.

Neal earned her PhD in Public and Community Health from the Medical College of Wisconsin and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Using mixed-methods approaches, her dissertation examined how social and structural factors, stress, and resilience influence adverse pregnancy outcomes among African American women in Milwaukee, WI. Her dissertation received national and local recognition, including the American Heart Association’s Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Science and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Outstanding Contribution to Public Health Dissertation Award.

In July 2025, she began the T32 Primary Care Research Fellowship in the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, where she plans to continue studying stress, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Teaching Interests
Neal is passionate about teaching topics related to social determinants of health, health disparities, and community-engaged research.

Research Interests
Neal’s research focuses on the social and structural determinants that shape maternal and child health. Her dissertation explored how social and structural factors, stress and resilience contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes among African American/Black women. As a researcher, she is dedicated to understanding and addressing the upstream factors that influence maternal health and wellbeing.

Publications and Presentations

My Bibliography

• Quinn KG, Harris MJ, Valencia J, et al. A qualitative examination of the mental health effects of direct and indirect police violence on Black adults. Soc Sci Med. 2024.
• Marion E, Dellinger MJ, Enriquez FJ, et al. Pregnant women’s perceptions of cannabinoid use in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. WMJ. 2024;123(6):503–507.
• Hoffman C, Harris M, Acharya K, et al. Impact of systematic screening for social determinants of health in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol. Published online 2024. doi:10.1038/s41372-024-02096-x.
• Harris M, Cusatis R, Malnory M, et al. Identifying barriers and facilitators to care for infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia after NICU discharge: a prospective study of parents and clinical stakeholders. J Perinatol. Published online January 26, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41372-024-01880-z.
• Harris M, Sherrod D, Walsh JL, et al. The influence of racism in healthcare: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black mothers in Chicago. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. Published online 2023. doi:10.1007/s40615-023-01708-0.

Honors and Awards

• 2025 Outstanding Contribution to Advancing Public Health Dissertation Award – Medical College of Wisconsin
• 2022 Greg Alexander Outstanding Student Presentation Award – American Public Health Association, Maternal and Child Health Section
• 2016 Milwaukee Health Department Promising Practitioner Award – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee