Hamidah Sharif-Amanyi

Hamidah Sharif-Amanyi, EdD, MS, MA

Associate Professor of Public Health | Program Coordinator, MPH Program
Fort Valley State University

Academic Leadership & Teaching

Hamidah Sharif-Amanyi, Ed.D., serves as tenured Associate Professor of Public Health and Coordinator of the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program at Fort Valley State University (FVSU). She develops and teaches courses in research methods, epidemiology, health behavior, and public health planning, while mentoring graduate students through thesis research, professional development, and applied learning experiences.

She is the founder of the THRIVE MPH Fellows Program (Training for Health Research, Innovation, and Visionary Excellence), which provides enhanced training in research, leadership, and career readiness. She has authored a Graduate Student Success Manual, developed applied learning micro-credentials, and created the Iterative Peer Review Writing Model (IPRWM) to strengthen thesis development and scholarly writing.

Research & Scholarship

Sharif-Amanyi’s research focuses on food security, maternal-child health, rural health equity, and the environmental determinants of chronic disease, with a strong emphasis on community-based participatory research (CBPR).

She is Principal Investigator of the SISTAHS Study (Sisters Through Agriculture, Health & Sustenance), which explores health, nutrition, and resilience among Black women farmers in the Southern United States and Ghana. Her global health leadership includes Operation Brimsu Apewosika in Ghana, where MPH students deliver malaria prevention supplies, first aid kits, and women’s health resources, and partnerships with Global Brigades, offering immersive global public health experiences.

Her scholarship appears in leading journals such as the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition and the Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association. Her forthcoming book, The Empty Pot: The Impact of Race, Place, and Hunger on Black Women’s Health in America (Taylor & Francis Routledge), explores structural inequities in food systems and their impact on health outcomes.

Professional Practice & Community Engagement

With over two decades of experience, Sharif-Amanyi has held leadership roles across academia, corporate health, and nonprofit sectors, including:

Director of Health Education, Cigna Healthcare (Mid-Atlantic Region): Developed corporate wellness programs and led national training for health educators.

Health Promotion Consultant: Served organizations such as Aetna Healthcare, Cigna Healthcare, Prince George’s County Government, Loudoun County Government, and the City of Atlanta.

Director of Health Education and Outreach, Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership (New York City): Designed maternal wellness and adolescent peer education initiatives.

Director of Community Outreach, West Harlem Environmental Action (WE ACT): Advanced asthma and lead poisoning prevention, environmental justice, and community mobilization.

Health Educator, Healthy Babies Initiative: Supported prenatal health for at-risk populations.

Program Coordinator & Assistant Professor of Health Education, Coppin State University: Directed the Health Education Studies Program.

She is also the Founder and Director of Research for Thrive Well Consulting Company, a firm specializing in designing and evaluating health promotion programs for government and corporate clients.

Education & Training

Sharif-Amanyi is a two-time postdoctoral fellow:

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health under Dr. Thomas LaVeist

Teachers College, Columbia University under Dr. Barbara Wallace

She earned:

Doctor of Education (EdD), Health and Behavior Studies – Teachers College, Columbia University

Master of Science (MS), Community Health Education – Teachers College, Columbia University

Master of Arts (MA), Community Health Education – Teachers College, Columbia University

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Social Sciences – Adelphi University

Vision & Impact

Sharif-Amanyi’s career reflects a commitment to culturally responsive health education, interdisciplinary research, and global health equity. Through her teaching, mentorship, and international partnerships, she prepares the next generation of public health leaders to address pressing challenges—from HIV and maternal-child health to hunger and pandemics—while improving outcomes for rural, urban, and underserved communities worldwide.