Stephanie Hanson

Biography

Stephanie Hanson, M.P.H., graduated with her B.S. in biology with a focus in human physiology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She later graduated from The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health in Washington, D.C. with her M.P.H. degree in global health epidemiology and disease control. Stephanie is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota in the School of Social Work.

During her M.P.H. program, she focused on understanding the exacerbating effects of complex emergencies on postpartum depression. While in Washington, D.C., Stephanie worked for Save the Children, the Peace Corps and The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM). While at NASEM, Stephanie worked on consensus study and proceedings of workshop reports examining a wide range of topics, including the neuropsychiatric effects of antimalarial drugs, respiratory disorders in veterans and best practices for caring for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also led the development of a project focused on addressing gaps in understanding surrounding perinatal mental health disorders. After moving to the Minneapolis metro area, Stephanie worked as a clinical research coordinator on studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and neuronavigation to better understand suicidal ideation in adolescents.

Stephanie's research interests focus on the relationship between empowerment and the development of perinatal mental health disorders; she defines the perinatal period as being from preconception (the time when someone actively decides to try to become pregnant) through five years following the birth of a child. She is particularly interested in understanding how empowerment can be used to prevent the development of perinatal mental health disorders. Stephanie is more broadly interested in maternal and child health and mental health. Stephanie is currently serving as the PI on a four-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration called BIRTH-SD-AIM that is working to improve the quality and safety of care birthing persons in South Dakota receive during the perinatal period.