Marissa Velarde
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
SDSU
Bio
Marissa Velarde is reproductive health equity research scholar who studies the structural, policy, and community determinants of sexual and reproductive health to address the persistent inequities in reproductive health access and outcomes found among marginalized communities. In 2025, she received her PhD in Maternal and Child Health with training in epidemiology from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Prior to her completing her doctoral studies, Dr. Velarde spent a decade working in health care and research across the US and Latin America. As a bicultural and bilingual researcher, she is particularly interested in research at the intersection of reproductive health and immigration status as it relates to Latina/es.
Dr. Velarde is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at San Diego State University where she is actively involved in studies led by Dr. Shira Goldenberg regarding the maternal, mental, and reproductive health of migrant women at the US-Mexico border as well as health inequities experienced by sex workers. She conducts quantitative and qualitative research and is passionate about engaging and partnering with community organizations and members in her work.