Emily Maistrellis joins IWPR as the Director of the Status of Women in the States, and brings nearly fifteen years of experience at the intersection of public health and human rights, focusing on advancing sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice (SRHRJ) through the integration of research, policy, and practice.

Before joining IWPR, Emily led a dynamic portfolio of SRHRJ research and advocacy projects at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health’s Global Health Justice and Governance Program for five years. Her expertise on the impacts of the U.S. ‘Global Gag Rule’ has been widely recognized, with her research being cited by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, in written testimony submitted to Congress, and in Amicus briefs filed with the Supreme Court. Her work has also been featured by major media outlets such as CNN, Global Press Journal, the Fuller Project, the Washington Post, and WBUR.

Emily has held previous positions at the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Jhpiego. She holds a Master of Science in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Bates College. Additionally, she is a certified birth doula and has training as a full-spectrum doula.