Kanika Harris, PhD, MPH

Dr. Kanika Harris is the Director of Maternal and Child health for the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BHWI), in Washington, DC.  

Kanika obtained a PhD  in Health Behavior & Health Education from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and an MPH in International Health from Morehouse School of Medicine, Master of Public Health Program. She is a Behavioral Health Scientist with a special focus on health equity, maternal health, and women’s health.

Dr. Harris serves as the Maternal Health Equity Advisor for the State of Maryland and the Public Health Expert for the District of Columbia Mayor’s Commission on Lactation.

She is the co-director and producer of a documentary called Listen to Me, which explores four women at the front lines of the Black maternal health movement walking the tightrope of racism and birth in America. It is  funded by Black Public Media.  Dr. Harris  is the mother of three children, a near-miss survivor, a doula, and a birth justice advocate.