At the Network’s Annual Barbara Seaman Awards, we honor women who carry on Barbara’s legacy of mentoring young female activists. Each week we’re sharing what our past Emerging Activists have been up to.

Vanessa Schick, PhD

Well, since the October awards benefit she’s launched two big research projects focused on the needs of underserved, vulnerable populations. One of her projects focuses on reentry for women released from incarceration who are at risk for homelessness. Her other project has focused on developing trust and learning the needs of women engaged in sex work at truck stops. Vanessa will be disseminating this data and writing further grants focused on these studies soon.

Additionally, Vanessa was recently elected student marshal by the students at the School of Public Health. She has over 20 mentees and continues to teach courses focused on social justice and cultural humility. The woman who was honor Barbara’s legacy of mentorship is now a mentor herself.

She continues to be an Assistant Professor, Division of Management, Policy and Community Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston’s School of Public Health.