Meredith Casella Jean-Baptiste

Meredith Casella Jean-Baptiste, CNM is the honored recipient of the Columbia University - Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association, Inc. (CUPHSONAA)/ Penny Hund West Scholarship.  She is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and is currently a second-year PhD student at the University of Arizona College of Nursing.  Meredith received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern California and both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master of Science in Midwifery from Columbia University. 

As a Peace Corps and Carter Center volunteer in Niger and Ghana, Meredith was inspired to pursue a career in Nursing and Midwifery. During her experiences conducting community-based education in rural health centers, Meredith worked alongside nurse-midwives. She saw firsthand many challenges impacting pregnancy and birth for women in remote areas of the world where women’s lives are undervalued. Importantly, Meredith witnessed firsthand the reality of how the “Three Delays” framework contributed to maternal mortality (delays in deciding to seek care, reaching care, and receiving adequate care).  

With close to 20 years of nurse-midwifery experience, Meredith was drawn to research in international maternal health.  Since 2012, Meredith has worked with Partners In Health (PIH) as the Women’s Health Coordinator in Haiti.  PIH’s mission to provide preferential option to the poor in healthcare aligns with her values prioritizing quality maternal healthcare and equity.  Meredith is dedicated and committed to the reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality nationally and internationally.  At PIH, her work with traditional birth attendants led to a mixed-methods research project and publications with the research team.  As part of the maternal child health team, Meredith has conducted research and published articles on several quality improvement projects. In 2018, she co-launched Journey Nine with her PIH colleagues, an innovative model of care that integrates and streamlines access to services for pregnant patients. The model is comprised of group antenatal care that transitions to group pediatric care, interwoven with home visits and psychosocial support. 

Meredith feels immense gratitude to be the recipient of the prestigious Nursing Educational Funds award, which will allow her to continue her PhD in Nursing.  Her doctoral studies are centered upon the intersection of respectful maternity care in the presence of obstetrical emergencies. Meredith became interested in this topic following her professional experiences and witnessing the effects of disrespectful care in obstetrical settings, which can lead to negative outcomes for women. Obtaining her PhD will permit Meredith to pursue her primary professional goal: to continue a team-based approach, integrating her passion for research combined with a dedication to working in the global maternal health field.