Biography
Anna Stryker, CNM, MSN, earned her Master of Science in Nurse-Midwifery from the University of New Mexico in 2010, graduating summa cum laude. She holds additional degrees in nursing and liberal arts. Following her CNM certification, she completed a year-long full-time AmeriCorps placement at Holy Family Services and Birth Center in Texas. Since 2012, she has served as a staff nurse-midwife at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Stryker has contributed to research in maternal health and has presented nationally on midwifery care.
Personal Statement
[UNM's midwifery] mission statement and goals are aligned with my own professional goals: to provide care for the various physical and socioeconomic ailments that permeate underserved communities.
I value my multicultural, Latina upbringing and have actively sought opportunities to engage with communities and cultures different than my own. I spent time in childhood and high school living in Chile with distant relatives. In college, I participated in a study abroad program in the Dominican Republic focusing on rural community education about Dengue fever and sexually transmitted infections. At the end of college, I wanted to challenge myself and immerse myself in a community outside of the Latino culture. I reached out to Indian non-governmental organizations in the pursuit of working on a research project for my honors thesis. As a principal investigator, I collaborated with Indian Health Management Pune to conduct a qualitative research study interviewing pregnant women in the urban slum of Pune, India. The focus of my thesis was the social factors that impact maternal morbidity in the urban slums, drawing on the women’s experiences of communalism, gender roles, marriage traditions and education. I organized housing, interpreter services and transportation for myself throughout my four-month stay in Pune. The content of my research furthered my passion for holistic healthcare as it shed light on the expansive web of sociocultural and economic factors that impact health. Even more, much of my learning encompassed how to listen to women’s stories and how to maintain respectful understanding in a culture different than my own.
I chose a career in midwifery because I believe midwifery is an opportunity to make reproductive health a platform for social justice. Progress through civic engagement has been a core ingredient in my professional,4research and educational experience. I will continue to advocate for community wellness through my career as a midwife.
Gender
Female
Languages
- English
- Spanish