Zobeida Bonilla, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health

Contact Info
Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
PhD, Sociocultural Anthropology, University of Florida
MPH, Maternal & Child Health, Boston University
MA, Cultural Anthropology, Colorado State University
BA, Social Sciences, Universidad de Puerto Rico
Summary
My work in maternal and child health focuses specifically on issues related to global health, pregnancy health education among Latinos, program evaluation, and health disparities. Globally, my work focuses on the Caribbean region and Latino/a health. I have held several program management positions including Program Manager of the Latina Health Initiative of the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, Program Coordinator of Eduquemos a Nuestras Mujeres of Wake County Human Services in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Program Evaluator with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the West Virginia Prevention Resource Center.
Expertise
Latino/a health, global health, Caribbean, medical anthropology, qualitative research, qualitative program evaluation
Research
Research Funding Grants
- 6/15–5/20, HRSA Maternal and Child Health Bureau, "Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health," Co-Investigator
Publications
- Bonilla, Z.E., Morrison, S. D. ,& Norsigian, J, Rosero, E. (2012). Reaching Latinas with Our Bodies, Ourselves and the Guia de Capacitacion para Promotoras de Salud: Health Education for Social Change. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health.
- Bonilla, Z.,& Ona, F. (2011). Paving New Paths for Health Education in the Global South: Lessons from the RAICES Project. The Health Education Monograph Series, 28(1), 25-31.
- Correa, V., Bonilla, Z., Reyes, M. (2011). Social Support Networks of Single Puerto Rico Mothers of Young Children with Disabilities. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 20(1), 66-77.
- Bonilla, Z.,& Ona, F.& Morrison, S. (2010). Health Education Practice and Global Health (eds.). The Health Education Monograph Vol. 27(2).
- Bonilla, Z.E. (2009). Including Every Woman: The All Embracing We of Our Bodies, Ourselves. In: Diversity and Women’s Health, Sue Rosser, ed., The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore, Maryland. (previously published in the NWSAJ)
- Bonilla, Z.E.,& Rosero-Nordalm, E. (2008). De Camino a la Maternidad. Translation and cultural adaptation of Journey to Parenthood produced by Childbirth Connection. (Second Edition)
- Bonilla, Z. E. (2002). Promotoras de Salud Training Guide. The Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, Boston, MA. See the full text
Teaching
Teaching Areas
Within the School of Public Health, I am Director of the Global Health Certificate Program and teach in the Maternal and Child Health MPH program.
I am also an affiliate faculty in the Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies program and the Department of Chicano & Latino Studies in the College of Liberal Arts.
Courses
- PubH 3601, Maternal and Child Health Global Public Health Issues
- PubH 6613, Children with Special Health Care Needs
- PubH 6630, Foundations of MCH Leadership
- PubH 6655, Principles and Programs in Maternal and Child Health – Online
- PubH 7200, Topics: Public Health Practice
Community Engagement
My work allows me to collaborate with a number of organizations and programs, including:
- Centro
- Our Bodies Ourselves
- STEPS Program (Speech Therapy Education, Practicum, and Services for Latino Children and Families), Indiana University
I also serve as an affiliate faculty with the University of Minnesota Chicano & Latino Studies department.