Sharon Rachel

Sharon Rachel, MA, MPH is a part-time PhD student in the School of History & Sociology at Georgia Tech. She is also an Associate Project Director and Principal Faculty in the Morehouse School of Medicine Department of Physician Assistant Studies. Sharon has 20+ years’ experience in collaborative public health education, research, and leadership development. She directs an NIH-funded study on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) entitled Building Biobehavioral Goal-Directed Resilience Among African American Women (Project GRIT). She also oversees the curricula for two HRSA-funded primary care training enhancement programs: Community Health Advanced by Medical Practice Superstars (CHAMPS) and Physician Assistant Leadership Superstars (PALS).

Sharon is trained in peer-to-peer counseling, has supported and advocated for sexual assault survivors, led women’s support groups, and coordinated resources at women’s community and crisis centers and substance abuse treatment facilities. Her research focuses on sociopolitical determinants of intersectional health disparities and women’s leadership and innovation in response and adaptation to the climate crisis.

Sharon earned her BA in Women’s Studies and Sociology from the University of South Carolina, her MA in Women’s Studies from The Ohio State University, and her MPH in Health Education from the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health. She has co-authored several publications, created a number of teaching aids and tools, and conducted education and training sessions across the United States. She enjoys traveling, attending cultural events, skiing, stand-up paddleboarding, and running; she has competed - and placed - in 5K, 8K, 10K, 15K, half marathon, full marathon, and obstacle races. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Sharon currently lives in Atlanta with her partner and cats.