Alex Solano-Umana was recently honored with the 2024 Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Exceptional Community Partner in Research Award for her contributions to the Mid-Atlantic Center for Cardiometabolic Health Equity (MACCHE) Healthy for Two (H42) study. In her role as Director of Community Outreach at the Lourie Center, she acts as a liaison between the H42 study and the center’s home visiting program.
Solano-Umana has played a critical role in shaping the intervention design and recruitment strategies of the H42 study, earning her recognition from Kelly Bower PhD, MSN/MPH, BS, RN, who nominated her for this award. Bower emphasized Solano-Umana’s dedication and collaboration towards shared health equity goals.
The partnership between The Lourie Center and H42 has grown significantly under Solano-Umana’s leadership. She has been involved in the coordinating council, participated in research staff visits to the center, and is listed as a co-author on the H42 protocol paper. In March 2023, she shared insights on sustainability and success in community-based research during a panel discussion at MACCHE’s launch event.
Solano-Umana encourages researchers to allow room for mistakes, questions, feedback, and follow-up when introducing new programs. Her leadership has fostered a culture of dedication and collaboration towards shared health equity goals. Her contributions have been instrumental in advancing the H42 study and promoting community engagement in research initiatives. Congratulations to Alex Solano-Umana on this well-deserved recognition for her outstanding work!