Inaugural Chair

Dept of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers University

In this role, Dr. Kantor has successfully launched a department with a commitment to outstanding scholarship, training the next generation of public health leaders, and engaging actively with the community to solve public health problems. Current projects include:

  • CenteringPregnancy—Dr. Kantor has been selected by the Burke Foundation as the evaluator for their 5-year, 50 site expansion of the group pre-natal program, CenteringPregnancy.

  • Landscape Analysis of the Perinatal Workforce—Dr. Kantor and colleagues from the Center for State Health Policy are completing a report on the diversity, accessibility, and potential for expanding and strengthening the Ob/Gyn, midwifery, doula and community health worker workforce in New Jersey.

  • Strengthening the Community Health Worker Infrastructure in NJ—Dr. Kantor and Slawa Rokicki partner with the State Department of Health on their Covid 19 grant to expand CHW presence and impact throughout the state.

  • New Urban Public Health Paradigm—Dr. Kantor and Dean Perry Halkitis lead a new multi-sectoral effort to bring a social justice and equity approach to addressing public health problems in New Jersey’s urban areas with an eye toward replication in other cities.

Vice President, Education

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

In this role, Dr. Kantor led efforts to bring outstanding health education to parents and young people throughout the U.S. and globally and to infuse a public health approach across Planned Parenthood’s initiatives. Accomplishments included:

  • Digital Innovation—Dr. Kantor and her team successfully created an array of digital approaches to health education including apps, mobile websites, videos, and the largest chat/text program related to sexual and reproductive health in the country.

  • Advancing LGBTQ Inclusiveness—Dr. Kantor spearheaded projects to make sex education inclusive for LGBTQ youth including a national, multi-organizational effort to create a Call to Action for Inclusive Sex Education.

  • Ensuring Sound Public Policy—Dr. Kantor played a central role in national, state and local policy to ensure evidence-based sex education and was a leading voice on sex education and related issues in the media.

Director, Special Projects, Assistant Professor

Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University

As Director of Special Projects and a member of the faculty, Dr. Kantor helped lead the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, conducted critical research, and partnered with global programs seeking to improve women’s health worldwide. Accomplishments included:

  • Strengthening Global Programs—Dr. Kantor worked closely with the Averting Maternal Death and Disability (AMDD) and Reproductive Health Access Service in Emergencies (RAISE) initiatives to strengthen critical services throughout the world.

  • Curriculum Development—Dr. Kantor created new courses for the Department and helped integrate modern pedagogical approaches.

  • Diversifying Fundraising—Dr. Kantor lead efforts to develop and strengthen relationships with funders and diversity the department’s sources of funding.