129 Coaching Client Spotlight: Karlene Cunningham, PhD

Dr. Karlene Cunningham is a health psychologist and clinical associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Brody School of Medicine. In the department, she wears several hats, including being the interim co-director of the Behavioral Medicine Division, the vice chair of diversity inclusion for the department, and the chair for all of the departments at the School of Medicine. But her passion lies in her work of directing the SHARE2 Lab, which stands for Sexual Health And Reproductive Equity Engagement Lab. Her lab is where she uses a reproductive justice lens to conceptualize the gaps in perinatal mental health research, trains healthcare learners to center patient needs, and works toward improving systems/structures that care for birthing people, especially those who are birthing in rural contexts.

She is also an alumnus of our Get That Grant® coaching program!

Listen in to learn more about Karlene’s journey into coaching and the profound shift she experienced through our Get That Grant® coaching program:

Recognizing the power of language and framing in academic researchApproaching the struggle of overworking as a trauma responseHow she personally internalized rest as a form of resistance and empowermentThe tangible impact of isolation on her career and the importance of finding the right communityThe value of taking one's time and savoring the content while embarking on the journey of transformation through coaching

Loved this convo? You can find more information about Dr. Karlene Cunningham and her important work on her lab's website, https://www.share2lab.com. Also, please go find Dr. Cunningham on Twitter @DrKarleneCunni1 and show her some love!

And if you'd like to learn more foundational career navigation concepts for women of color in academic medicine and public health, sign up for our KD Coaching Foundations Series: www.kemidoll.com/foundations.