Sarina Wallace is a 2nd year graduate student in the FAMH Lab. Her research and clinical work are driven by a commitment to advancing perinatal health equity for Black women. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience from Syracuse University in 2020, where she was a Renée Crown Honors Scholar and Ronald E. McNair Scholar. Following graduation, Sarina spent four years as a Research Assistant at Montefiore Medical Center's Pediatric Behavioral Health Integration Program in the Bronx, NY, coordinating projects focused on improving maternal and adolescent mental health of low-income, racially marginalized populations. Alongside her research, she served as a crisis counselor for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and New York State COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline.

Sarina's master's thesis examines the perinatal mental health trajectories of mothers with NICU infants, with a focus on depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. More broadly, her research investigates how psychosocial factors shape the wellbeing of Black mothers, with particular interest in the role of support systems in promoting optimal maternal outcomes. Clinically, she is interested in supporting families navigating perinatal period and increasing access to high-quality behavioral health care.

Ultimately, Sarina aspires for her work to inform culturally responsive interventions for Black families and to create systemic change in perinatal health care through research, clinical practice, and policy advocacy.