Page 13 - 2019-2020 Endowment Report | University of Rochester

She has also provided technical assistance to improve health
programs, surveillance, and systems in infectious disease
primarily for HIV testing and care.

Leblanc’s previous experience and doctoral dissertation work
provided a bridge to her current research. “It was through
public health that I came to nursing,” says Leblanc. “My
doctoral work gave me an opportunity to connect public
health needs to clinical practice and to specifically address
health care equity and disparity issues related to HIV.” Harriet J. Kitzman

Leblanc’s current work focuses on combination HIV “Making life better for
prevention and couple-centered approaches in HIV/STIs others was always my
among health care providers, populations of color, and people
with a variety of sexual orientations. She also investigates mother’s priority and
ecological factors on sexual health and wellness. brought her the greatest

joy. She focused that
“Improving population health means offering holistic care and
prevention strategies,” she adds. “Health care providers must passion on helping those
treat, advise, and support the person with the disease, and in our community who
they must also involve that person’s partner or partners and needed it the most, so she
family. Nurses play such a vital role in this process.”
set up this fund to support

Leblanc is both humbled and honored to have been awarded research that would
improve their lives.ˮ
the Kitzman Fellowship. Kitzman was a leader in nursing
research, specifically in creating the evidence for the Nurse-
Family Partnership—a home-based, preventive intervention
for young families. Leblanc had not learned Kitzman was the HEATHER PAWLOWSKI ’93S (MBA)
anonymous donor until her passing earlier this year.

“Dr. Kitzman was a nurse pioneer whose
research benefited the underserved,”

she says. “My goals are like hers—I want
to ask important questions, address
challenging problems, serve more
people, and close the all-too-many

health care gaps that currently exist.”

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