Alumna Recognized in the de Beaumont Foundation's 40 Under 40 in Public Health
Alumna Maha Almohamad, PhD (‘24), MS, was recently recognized by the de Beaumont Foundation's 40 Under 40 in Public Health Class of 2025, a national honor that recognizes early-career professionals. Honorees are selected based on leaders in public health who demonstrate creativity and innovation, thereby strengthening communities across the country.
Almohamad, a 2024 PhD graduate from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, currently serves as a research scientist with the Center for Health Equity and Department of Neurology (STEP Stroke Clinic) at McGovern Medical School. Through her work, she brings about meaningful change in areas such as nutrition and outpatient clinical care, collaborating with clinics and community partners to improve health outcomes.
"It is meaningful to be included alongside so many leaders advancing health equity across disciplines. This recognition reflects the collaborative work happening across our institution and within our community partnerships," shared Almohamad.
With a background in epidemiology and nutrition, she has applied her training to help transform healthcare systems and improve access to care for underserved populations. Almohamad's research interests include enhancing Food is Medicine, a method of utilizing nutrition and dietary interventions to prevent, manage, and treat diseases, strategies and comprehensive clinical care. Her approach frequently assists patients managing chronic health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease by applying Food is Medicine methods. As a research scientist, she ensures nutrition programs are supported by data, identifying which strategies best fit a community's needs.
"My hope is that these efforts strengthen both prevention and recovery by making nutritious food and culturally tailored diets a routine part of care—not an add-on," she said. As public health works to improve the health of our communities and populations, Almohamad sees this as a critical aspect in enhancing the quality of life through nutrition interventions. Through the development and implementation of nutrition initiatives such as Food is Medicine, she aims to address health inequities in meaningful and sustainable ways.
"I hope to contribute to building systems in which nutrition and community resources are fully integrated into healthcare delivery—so that identifying a need comes with a real solution. My goal is to help create frameworks that are evidence-based and scalable."
As an alumna and researcher, Almohamad’s recognition by the deBeaumont Foundation signifies a meaningful and bright future for the field of public health research, and the active efforts to improve the health of communities.