Networks

Dr. Karen Sheffield-Abdulllah

Karen Sheffield-Abdullah is a postdoctoral fellow at the UNC School of Medicine and a nurse-midwife who strives to improve health and well-being for women and children. During her early career, she worked as a chemist testing novel drug compounds. Subsequently, she developed clinical skills in the provision of women’s health care during her academic training at Yale School of Nursing. In 2019, Karen received her PhD from the UNC School of Nursing. Her research targets the development of strategies to reduce the long-term health effects of stress and anxiety on women’s health and birth outcomes. This research trajectory has illuminated her passion to address critical public health issues through an entrepreneurial lens. Her goal is to develop a multi-media platform addressing stress and anxiety in Black women using initiatives that lift up their voices, acknowledge their inherent worth, and let them know that they are seen, heard and valued just as they are.