Heather Rice is an Associate Professor and Nurse Scientist in the College of Health at Cleveland State University. She is also a board-certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with a clinical focus in child and adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Rice’s work is dedicated to reducing Black maternal health disparities, promoting birth equity, and preventing maternal and infant mortality. She is the Principal Investigator of Survive and Thrive, a multi-phase, state-funded research initiative that evaluates holistic, community-based interventions to improve Black maternal health outcomes. As lead of the interdisciplinary research team, Dr. Rice develops and evaluates interventions that address chronic stress, encourage emotional wellness, and promote racially concordant care. A core contribution of her scholarship is the development of Thrive, a mobile health application designed in collaboration with community members to provide culturally informed support for African American families during pregnancy and early parenthood. Dr. Rice’s work is grounded in a commitment to centering the voices and lived experiences of Black women in maternal health innovation, clinical practice, and policy reform. Dr. Rice earned her PhD in Nursing Science and MSN from Case Western Reserve University. She also holds a BSN from Lakeview College of Nursing and a BS in Biology from Wittenberg University.