Monica Rose McLemore

Faculty

Monica McLemore headshot

Monica Rose McLemore

PhD RN MPH FADLN

Professor

1 212 998 5319

433 FIRST AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10010
United States

Prof. Monica R. McLemore is a Visiting Professor at NYU Meyers and is a noted scholar of antiracist birth equity research and national expert on reproductive health, rights, and justice.

Prior to joining NYU Meyers, McLemore was a tenured professor, holding the Endowed Chair for Health Promotion and is Director of the Manning-Price Spratlan Center for Anti-Racism and Equity in Nursing at the University of Washington (UW). Before UW, she was a tenured associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing, and held the Thelma Shobe Endowed Chair in Ethics and Spirituality.

Over a career spanning more than three decades, McLemore has distinguished herself as a scientist and clinical nurse whose work advancing understanding of reproductive health and justice has been cited in varied ways across many platforms, including six amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court and publications ranging from Politico to Scientific American. She made a voice appearance on the Peabody Award-winning HBO series “Random Acts of Flyness”, and is editor-in-chief of the journal, Health Equity. 

McLemore also has an impressive record of mentoring diverse scholars and students, and in expanding the use of community-engaged research methods, in particular involving underrepresented groups in the research process.

Among her many awards, McLemore was recognized as the Society of Family Planning’s Mentor of the Year and honored with the American Public Health Association's Outstanding Leadership and Advocacy Award for her work on maternal child health.

PhD, University of California
MPH, San Francisco State University
Minority Training Program in Cancer Control Research
BSN, The College Of New Jersey
Research Fellow, NINR Summer Genetics Institute
Anti-Racism and Equity
Health Equity
Health Policy
Reproductive Health
Society of Family Planning
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Washington State Nurses Association
Academy Health
Abortion Access Front
Health Equity Journal
Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine (2025)
Trailblazer Award, National Black Nurses Association (2025)
Harriet Cook Carter Lecture, Duke University (2025)
Inaugural Recipient of the SFGH Catalyst Award, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital First Annual Nursing Research Symposium (2025)
National Academy of Sciences Kavli Fellowship, Reproductive Justice Unit (2025)
Fellow, Academy of Diverse Leaders in Nursing (2024)
2024 STATUS List, Stat News (2024)
McCausland Visiting Scholars, University of South Carolina (2024)
Excellence in Promoting Diversity Through Teaching Award, University of Washington School of Nursing (2024)
Researcher of the Year, Washington State Nurses Association (2023)
Legacy Award, Marcus Foster Education Institute’s 100 for the 100th Legacy Award recipients (2023)
Nurse Influencer on Social Media, Berxi (2023)
Mentor of the Year, Society of Family Planning (2022)
Alumni of the Year, The College of New Jersey School of Nursing (2022)
Maternal Child Health Section Outstanding Leadership and Advocacy Award, American Public Health Association (2021)
Nurse Influencer on Social Media, Berxi (2021)
Nursing Mutual Aid #2020: Global Hero Award, The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (2020)
Distinguished Leadership Award, The College of New Jersey (Alumni) (2020)
The Audacious Award, Alumni Association UCSF Foundation (2020)
Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2019)
Excellence in Leadership Award, AWHONN (2019)
Thomas N. Burbridge Award, UCSF Chancellor's University Service Award (2019)
Person of the Year, Abortion Care Network (2018)
Association for Reproductive Health Professionals, Amazing Women in Reproductive Health (2017)
The Association for Wholistic Maternal and Newborn Health, Agent - Provocateur of the Year Award (2017)
Margretta Madden Styles Award, Sigma Theta Tau International (2017)
Excellence in Teaching Award, American College of Nurse Midwives (2015)
Speaking Race to Power Fellow, CoreAlign (2015)
Breakthrough Leaders in Nursing Award, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2015)
UCSF Alpha Eta Leadership Hall of Fame, Sigma Theta Tau International (2014)
Doctoral Scholarship in Nursing, American Cancer Society (2007)
National Institute for General Medical Sciences Fellowship, UCSF (2003)
Cota Robles Regents Fellowship, UCSF (2002)
Outstanding Service Award, The Resident Staff of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Stanford University School of Medicine (2000)
New Jersey Garden State Scholarship Program (1998)

Using Retrofit, Reform, and Reimagine to Advance Toward Health Equity

McLemore, M. R., & McLemore, M. R. (2021). In The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing (Vols. 36, Issues 2, pp. 99-102).
Abstract
Abstract
The purpose of this commentary is to provide an overview of the current landscape for childbearing families and pregnancy-capable people and a call to action toward the courage to align health and human services that support improved health outcomes. The commentary is broken into 3 parts.

What Lies Ahead for Nursing

McLemore, M. R., & Fauteux, N. (2021). In The American journal of nursing (Vols. 121, Issues 4, pp. 57-60).
Abstract
Abstract
This is the last of three articles exploring ways in which frontline nurses may be affected by recommendations of the forthcoming National Academy of Medicine Future of Nursing 2020-2030 study. For this third article, interviews were conducted with nurse leaders from diverse practice areas to see how their thinking about the future had shifted as 2020 drew to a close.

Attitudes of California Registered Nurses About Abortion

McLemore, M. R., Swartz, A., Hoffmann, T. J., Cretti, E., Burton, C. W., Eagen-Torkko, M., Levi, A. J., Aztlan, E. A. A., & McLemore, M. R. (2020). In Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN (Vols. 49, Issues 5, pp. 475-486).
Abstract
Abstract
To describe attitudes about abortion among registered nurses (RNs) licensed in California and to determine if demographic characteristics were associated with these attitudes.

Black Maternal Health Research Re- Envisioned: Best Practices for the Conduct of Research With, For, and By Black Mamas. Harvard Law and Policy Review. 2(14):393-415.

McLemore, M. R. (2020). (2nd eds., Vols. 14). Harvard Law and Policy Review.
Abstract
Abstract
Black Mamas Matter Alliance Research Working Group [Angela Aina, Ifeyinwa Asiodu, Philicia Castillo, Jill Denson, Courtney Drayton, Rose Aka James, Inas Mahdi, Nia Mitchell, Bella Morgan, Ayanna Robinson, Karen Scott, Caitlin Williams Black Scholars Group Helen A Arega, Abigail Aiyepola, Brittany D Chambers, Joia Crear-Perry, Ana Delgado, Kemi Doll, Nikia Grayson, Andrea Jackson, Cassondra (Cassie) Marshall, Zoë Julian, Monica R. McLemore, Biftu Mengesha, Sayida Peprah, Jessica Roach, Lynn Roberts, Didi Saint Louis, Sanithia Williams, Taida Wolfe].

Boyd RW, Lindo EG, Weeks LD, McLemore MR. On Racism: A New Standard For Publishing On Racial Health Inequities. Health Affairs. 2020. 10.1377/forefront.20200630.93934

McLemore, M. R. (2020). Health Affairs.
Abstract
Abstract
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CE: An Evidence-Based Update on Contraception

McLemore, M. R., Britton, L. E., Alspaugh, A., Greene, M. Z., & McLemore, M. R. (2020). In The American journal of nursing (Vols. 120, Issues 2, pp. 22-33).
Abstract
Abstract
Contraception is widely used in the United States, and nurses in all settings may encounter patients who are using or want to use contraceptives. Nurses may be called on to anticipate how family planning intersects with other health care services and provide patients with information based on the most current evidence. This article describes key characteristics of nonpermanent contraceptive methods, including mechanism of action, correct use, failure rates with perfect and typical use, contraindications, benefits, side effects, discontinuation procedures, and innovations in the field. We also discuss how contraceptive care is related to nursing ethics and health inequities.

A Conversation with Monica R. McLemore

McLemore, M. R., & McSpedon, C. (2020). In The American journal of nursing (Vols. 120, Issues 9, pp. 68-70).
Abstract
Abstract
The nurse, scientist, and activist discusses how nurses can work to dismantle racism.

Exposures to structural racism and racial discrimination among pregnant and early post-partum Black women living in Oakland, California

McLemore, M. R., Chambers, B. D., Arabia, S. E., Arega, H. A., Altman, M. R., Berkowitz, R., Feuer, S. K., Franck, L. S., Gomez, A. M., Kober, K., Pacheco-Werner, T., Paynter, R. A., Prather, A. A., Spellen, S. A., Stanley, D., Jelliffe-Pawlowski, L. L., & McLemore, M. R. (2020). In Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress (Vols. 36, Issues 2, pp. 213-219).
Abstract
Abstract
Research supports that exposure to stressors (e.g., perceived stress and racism) during pregnancy can negatively impact the immune system, which may lead to infection and ultimately increases the risk for having a preterm or low-birthweight infant. It is well known that Black women report higher levels of stressors at multiple timepoints across pregnancy compared with women of all other racial and ethnic groups. This study addresses gaps in the literature by describing pregnant and early post-partum Black women's exposures to structural racism and self-reported experiences of racial discrimination, and the extent to which these factors are related. We used a cross-sectional study design to collect data related to exposures to racism from pregnant and early post-partum Black women residing in Oakland, California, from January 2016 to December 2017. Comparative analysis revealed that living in highly deprived race + income neighborhoods was associated with experiencing racial discrimination in three or more situational domains (p = .01). Findings show that Black women are exposed to high levels of racism that may have negative impacts on maternal health outcomes.

First, Do No Harm: Why Philanthropy Needs to Re-Examine Its Role in Reproductive Equity and Racial Justice

McLemore, M. R., Scott, K. A., Bray, S., & McLemore, M. R. (2020). In Health equity (Vols. 4, Issue 1, pp. 17-22).
Abstract
Abstract
The philanthropic-industrial complex fosters the belief that the most marginalized communities lack an existing repository of historical and contemporary knowledge to address social and health inequities. In so doing, philanthropy has contributed to the diminishing political power, legitimacy, and effectiveness of community voices and leadership in reproductive equity through research injustice, cultural arrogance, philanthropic redlining, and community harm. Black Feminism and Reproductive Justice, as mutually aligned theories and praxes, are described as new ethical standards for philanthropic accountability. Funders must embody the equity they aspire to see and build through the operationalization of cultural rigor to advance structural equity and racial justice and to sustain community engagement in research.

Interest in Medication and Aspiration Abortion Training among Colorado Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives, and Physician Assistants

McLemore, M. R., Coleman-Minahan, K., Sheeder, J., Arbet, J., & McLemore, M. R. (2020). In Women’s health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health (Vols. 30, Issues 3, pp. 167-175).
Abstract
Abstract
We examined advanced practice clinicians' (APCs: nurse practitioners [NPs], certified nurse midwives [CNMs], physician assistants) interest in training to provide medication and aspiration abortion in Colorado, where abortion provision by APCs is legal.