Sophia  Garbarino

Sophia Garbarino is a PhD student and Laney Fellow in the Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (BSHES) under the mentorship of Dr. Jessica Sales. Her interests are in implementation science, mixed methods, health equity, and sexual and reproductive health. She is particularly interested in leveraging behavioral theories, implementation frameworks, and safety net settings to improve family planning services delivery in the United States. Sophia has research experience spanning contraception, trauma-informed care, social connectivity, maternal mortality, and clinical psychology. She previously worked at CDC where she contributed to CDC and WHO contraception guidance for healthcare providers. Sophia is also a Certified Health Education Specialist.

Prior to doctoral studies, Sophia obtained a Master of Public Health in BSHES and Certificate in Maternal and Child Health at Emory University. Her master's thesis used qualitative methods to explore Title X providers' experiences with CDC's contraception guidelines, for which she received two student grants and the 2024 Charles C. Shepard Award. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies and Sociology from Stony Brook University.

Sophia has received over 15 other awards, honors, and scholarships, including:

• 2024-29 Laney Graduate School Fellowship
• 2022-24 Rollins Pathway Award (Emory)
• 2023 Outstanding Applied Practice Experience Award (Emory)
• 2019-22 Presidential Merit Scholarship (Stony Brook)
• 2022 Jesse Tepper Award (Stony Brook)
• 2022 Activism and Academic Excellence Award (Stony Brook)
• 2022 Academic Achievement Award (Stony Brook)