Stephanie De Avila Montaña, MPH '26, Aims to Support Reproductive Justice in Latin America

Why It Matters

Her focus spotlights a critical health‑equity gap in Latin America, showing how interdisciplinary graduate training can produce advocates capable of influencing policy and improving outcomes for marginalized women.

Key Takeaways

• Advocate reproductive justice for underserved women in Latin America.
• Dual Colombian‑Canadian identity fuels personal commitment to advocacy.
• Public health path emerged from Boston Children’s Hospital research.
• Harvard’s interdisciplinary resources significantly shaped her career direction.
• A single elective class clarified her professional focus.

Summary

Stephanie De Avila Montaña, MPH ’26, is dedicating her graduate studies to advancing reproductive justice for women in Latin America, with a particular focus on Colombia, a region she describes as overlooked and underserved. A Colombian‑Canadian raised in Calgary, she combines personal heritage with academic training to address systemic health inequities.

Her journey into public health began unexpectedly during a research stint at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she engaged in community‑based participatory research on positive parenting. The experience sparked a broader interest in health systems, leading her to Harvard’s expansive graduate ecosystem, where she could draw on resources across twelve schools.

Montaña highlights a pivotal elective class taken on a whim that solidified her career ambition. “That one class and that one adviser really helped me do that,” she says, underscoring how a single academic experience can redirect professional trajectories. The class’s project aligned with her passion, confirming reproductive justice as her focus.

The implications are twofold: her advocacy may elevate policy attention and resource allocation for reproductive health in Latin America, and her story illustrates the power of interdisciplinary education to cultivate leaders who can bridge research, community engagement, and systemic change.

Original Description

Stephanie De Avila Montaña, MPH '26, was always interested in medicine and health care, but her classes at Harvard Chan School have helped her hone in on what she wants to do next in her career. De Avila Montaña is Colombian and Canadian, and came to Boston from Calgary, AB. After graduation, her goal is to advocate for reproductive justice in Latin America.

Learn more about degree programs at Harvard Chan School: hsph.harvard.edu