Biography
Dr. Yonke received a B.S. in General Science with a minor in Chemistry (1999) from the University of Oregon. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree (2007) from Oregon Health and Sciences University. Dr. Yonke then completed a combined 4-year family medicine/preventive medicine resident at Oregon Health and Sciences University in 2011, including a Masters in Pubic Health (2011) from Portland State University. Following this, she completed a 2-year Maternal and Child Health Fellowship (2013) at the University of New Mexico.
Personal Statement
As a triple-board-certified physician in Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Addiction Medicine, I have dedicated my career to improving care for pregnant and parenting individuals affected by substance use disorders. My clinical and scholarly work is rooted in a deep commitment to maternal-child health, with a focus on perinatal addiction treatment and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). My research has focused on breastfeeding in women receiving medication-assisted treatment, group prenatal care models, and neonatal opioid withdrawal. I strive to create trauma-informed, evidence-based learning environments that reflect the same compassion I bring to patient care. As Director of Maternal Child Health at UNM, I lead interdisciplinary efforts to improve systems of care and advocate for policies that reduce stigma and promote equity.
Achievements & Awards
Faculty Citizenship Award, 2025 Department of Family & Community Medicine
Outstanding Family Medicine MCH Attending, 2019 Department of Family & Community Medicine Residency
Faculty Citizenship Award, 2018Department of Family & Community Medicine
Key Publications
Journal Article
Yonke, Nicole, Aragon, Miranda, Phillips, Jennifer, K. 2022 Chlamydial and Gonococcal Infections: Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment. American family physician, vol. 105, Issue 4, 388-396
Journal Article
Yonke, Nicole, Maston, Rebekah, Weitzen, Sherry, Leeman, Lawrence, 2019 Breastfeeding Intention Compared With Breastfeeding Postpartum Among Women Receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment Journal of Human Lactation, vol. 35, Issue 1, 71-79 https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334418769637
Journal Article
Yonke, Nicole, Jimenez, Elizabeth, Yakes Leeman, Lawrence, Leyva, Yuridia, Ortega, Alyssa, Bakhireva, Ludmila, N. 2020 Breastfeeding Motivators and Barriers in Women Receiving Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Breastfeeding Medicine, vol. 15, Issue 1, 17-23 https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2019.0122
Journal Article
Andrews, S, Leeman, Lawrence, Yonke, Nicole, 2017 Finding the breech: Influence of breech presentation on mode of delivery based on timing of diagnosis, attempt at external cephalic version, and provider success with version. Birth (Berkeley, Calif.), vol. 44, Issue 3, 222-229
Journal Article
Sutter, Mary, Beth Watson, Hannah, Bauers, Ariele, Johnson, Kate, Hatley, Mandy, Yonke, Nicole, Leeman, Lawrence, 2019 Group Prenatal Care for Women Receiving Medication?Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy: An Interprofessional Approach Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, vol. 64, Issue 2, 217-224
Gender
Female