Marni Sommer, professor of sociomedical sciences at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, has been named the 2027 recipient of the Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award from the CDC Foundation. Presented annually since 1992, the award recognizes a distinguished leader who makes significant contributions to health education and health promotion through program development or delivery, policy, advocacy, or research.
Dr. Sommer is recognized for transforming menstrual health into a recognized global public health priority. Beginning with her doctoral research in Tanzania, she has focused her work on how menstruation and puberty disrupt girls’ education. This research led Dr. Sommer to develop a series of culturally tailored books on puberty for boys and girls. Her project has distributed more than 2 million copies across 10 countries.
At Columbia, Dr. Sommer leads the Gender, Adolescent Transitions, and Environment (GATE) Program, which explores the intersections of gender, health, education, and the environment for girls and boys transitioning into adulthood in low-income countries and in the United States. The program also generates research and practical resources focused on improving the integration of menstrual hygiene management and gender-supportive sanitation solutions into global humanitarian response.
After earning bachelor’s degrees in history and French from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Sommer joined the Peace Corps and taught English to adolescents in Eritrea. This experience inspired her to pursue graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where she earned dual master’s degrees in public health and nursing. She later received her doctorate in public health from Columbia University.