Cheri Pies

Cheri Pies, a leader in women’s health for nearly 30 years, has never shied away from addressing controversial topics. She has written about issues related to lesbian parenting, bioethics, and reproductive health. Cheri developed culturally sensitive and ethical guidelines for AIDS/HIV counseling during the early years of the AIDS epidemic. She has also developed ethical guidelines for using incentives in reproductive health programs; created home visiting programs for low-income families; and studied racial inequities in access to emergency contraception, and controversial issues related to adolescent Norplant use. Cheri makes it a priority to apply her vision of social justice to her work in women’s health. She currently directs the Family, Maternal, and Child Health programs of Contra Costa County, California. Under her leadership, the county health department has developed unique ways to reach out to the community, including a movie screening addressing school violence and bullying, and photography exhibits on unequal access to health care and homelessness. See: www.cchealth.org/groups/fmch.
September 2005