Erricka Hager

Scholar to Influencer: Transforming Maternal & Reproductive Health

When Erricka first walked into the Pittsburgh Study’s launch meeting in Monroeville in 2018, she had no way of knowing how profoundly it would shape her future. At the time, she was drawn in by curiosity and a growing interest in pregnancy research, sparked through a partnership between the Urban League and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). That initial connection marked the beginning of a path that would intertwine community engagement, academic growth, and a deep commitment to advancing Black maternal health.

Erricka’s early work with The Pittsburgh Study began on the ground, serving as a health advocate and supporting the Pregnancy Collaborative. As the collaborative took shape, so did Erricka’s role. What started as providing support to the collaborative’s early leadership soon evolved into facilitating meetings and helping sustain the group’s momentum, especially as leadership shifted and new challenges emerged. Through this work, Erricka became immersed in the realities of community-engaged research—learning firsthand how essential community voices are in shaping meaningful, relevant science.

At the same time, The Pittsburgh Study opened doors academically. While working at CTSI, Erricka completed their MPH and later stepped into a full-time coordinator role with the Pregnancy Collaborative. The questions, relationships, and lived experiences emerging from the collaborative clarified something important: to fully pursue the research questions forming around Black maternal health and intergenerational well-being, a PhD was essential. With support from the collaborative, Erricka transitioned into a fully funded doctoral program in Behavioral Community Health Sciences—a direct extension of the work she had been doing through The Pittsburgh Study.

The collaborative didn’t just influence Erricka’s résumé; it reshaped her research lens and personal reflections. Through mentorship from leaders and collaborators, Erricka refined her focus and expanded her thinking beyond pregnancy alone. Their interests grew to include sexual and reproductive health across the maternal line—exploring how families communicate about pregnancy, menopause, and health histories, and how gaps in those conversations affect future generations.

Equally formative was the collaborative itself: a multi-generational, diverse group navigating the tensions between academic timelines and community urgency. Even amid bureaucratic hurdles and pandemic disruptions, the Pregnancy Collaborative remained a space of resilience, accountability, and shared purpose. That dynamic experience reinforced for Erricka the responsibility researchers have—not only to conduct studies, but to share results in ways that are accessible, empowering, and responsive to the communities involved.

Now in the final year of her PhD, Erricka’s educational and professional journey stands as a clear example of The Pittsburgh Study’s impact. What began as attendance at a single launch meeting evolved into a career pathway grounded in community partnership, mentorship, and a commitment to improving maternal and reproductive health for future generations. As The Pittsburgh Study looks ahead to future directions, Erricka’s story is part of its living legacy—demonstrating how investing in community-engaged research can cultivate the next generation of public health leaders.