Dr. Latia Hickerson, a PhD-prepared women’s health nurse practitioner, is nursing faculty at the UTMB School of Nursing where she is the coordinator of the BSN honors program’s health equity and advocacy track, an innovative honors program that trains student nurses to provide educational sessions, labor, and postpartum support for justice-involved people giving birth. Dr Hickerson is a distinguished alumna of the University of Florida, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in health education and behavior, specializing in community health practice. Following her undergraduate studies, Dr. Hickerson's thirst for knowledge led her to Columbia University, where she earned a BSN. She pursued dual master’s degrees in public health and nursing and earned her PhD in nursing research from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. During her doctoral training, she was selected to represent the inaugural cohort of the Robert Wood Johnson Future of Nursing Scholars Program, a national program where she received special training in leadership, policy, and innovation. Dr. Hickerson joined the UTMB School of Nursing in 2021, where she completed her post-master’s certificate in nursing education and became a certified nurse educator. Dr. Hickerson's research coalesces around the multifaceted biobehavioral, social, and structural factors influencing women’s health disparities. Her passion lies in bridging the gap between women’s health and public health and she is an advocate for improving maternal and women’s health outcomes.