Pamela Valera, PhD, MSW (she/her/hers)
Biography
Pamela Valera, Ph.D., M.S.W., is an assistant professor in the Department of Urban-Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health. The theoretical foundation that frames her research is rooted in critical race theory and transformative justice. She is the co-founder and Director of the Community Health Justice Lab (http://www.chjl.org), where members address inequity in health promotion strategies and social determinants of health among medically underserved populations. Dr. Valera uses social determinants of health perspective to explore health behaviors and health promotion strategies to reduce the detrimental effects of incarceration, cancer burden (particularly cigarette smoking/tobacco use), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk in people who are incarcerated. Her current research project explores the process of implementing and tailoring Mental Health First Aid in correctional settings.
Dr. Valera is also a first-generation college graduate. She received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of San Francisco, an M.S.W. from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of South Carolina.
Research Interests
Dr. Valera is a public health social work researcher who conducts mixed methods and collaborative research to explore the impact of incarceration on the health and mental well-being of people who are incarcerated, those that have been involved in the criminal justice system, and correctional staff. The theoretical foundation that frames her research is rooted in critical race theory and transformative justice. She is the co-founder and director of the Community Health Justice Lab, where members address inequity in health promotion strategies and social determinants of health among medically underserved populations. Much of her scholarship in this area focuses on implementing evidence-based strategies in correctional settings.