Biography

Dr. Mary Awuonda   received her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis in training in Pharmacoepidemiology and Health Services Research from Howard University and has been an active faculty researcher since 2011. Dr. Mary Awuonda currently serves as Professor and Director of the Center of Excellence at the Howard University College of Pharmacy. In her directorship role she helps the College advance its healthcare workforce diversification mission and student academic success initiatives. Mary believes that a student-centered organizational mindset and pipeline programs are critical to supporting the advancement of underrepresented minority students into pharmacy and other health care professions. To that end, Mary has successfully facilitated continuous funding for the Center for the past 10 years. She has also designed 3 pipeline academic programs and managed 18 academic and clinical partnerships working with the Center. Through the center’s research efforts, she is also well published in the areas of minority health, health disparities, health outcomes research and workforce diversification.

Dr. Awuonda also founded the newly established Howard University Telepharmacy and Population Health Center (HU-TEPH). As its inaugural director she has established key priority areas in clinical operations, workforce training, partnership engagement and telehealth research areas. Through the Center she serves as a Co-Principal investigator on a DHHS $8 million dollar Public Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT) for DC (PHIT4DC) PHIT4DC cooperative agreement between UDC and Howard University. The grant efforts have close to 500 participants. In expanding this success, Dr. Awuonda co-led the efforts to expand this training to the US Virgin Islands through the PHIT4VI exchange program which now provides public health informatics training through an exchange program with the College of Pharmacy.