Kathryn Menard, MD, MPH

Dr. M. Kathryn Menard, MD, MPH is a Distinguished Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the University of North Carolina’s School of Medicine. She served as the Division Director for 14 years and is a past President of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine. Throughout her career in academic medicine Dr. Menard has worked to highlight the shared goals of clinical medicine and public health, thus bringing diverse perspectives together, promoting collaboration and realizing synergy. She has elevated attention to maternal health needs by advancing systems development including: 1) Strengthening regional systems by defining Levels of Maternal Care, and 2) Providing foundational leadership for the broad dissemination and implementation of maternal safety bundles through the Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health, 3) Design and implementation of North Carolina’s statewide Pregnancy Medical Home program. Her current research includes an NHLBI funded study to test equity focused community informed strategies to implement a safety bundle for recognition and management of pregnancy related hypertension in the outpatient setting. She continues in research and implementation practice to advance risk appropriate maternal care through adoption of Levels of Maternal Care.