The Wallace Center for Maternal Child and Adolescent Health

What The Wallace Center for Maternal Child and Adolescent Health does

The Wallace Center for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health is a multidisciplinary academic research and training center housed within UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. Established in 2020 (with prior center history), the center conducts impact-oriented research at the intersection of technology, innovation, and reproductive health equity, organized around three work pillars: leveraging big data (Reddit community NLP, Google search infodemiology, health tracking app data analytics), technology for reproductive health (remote patient monitoring, femtech startup support), and innovating perinatal care (community doula research, group prenatal care evaluation, Medicaid doula benefit implementation).

Its core technology stack consists of applied research methods rather than commercial products: machine learning-enabled NLP for analyzing sensitive Reddit communities, infodemiology using Google search trends, quantitative analytics on consumer health app data (notably Clue), and text-based remote blood pressure monitoring for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in collaboration with Highland Hospital. The center supports early-stage digital health startups including Birth By Us (Black perinatal support app) and hosts the Voices in Femtech speaker series featuring founders from Euki, Plan Cpills, and Irth App.

The Wallace Center is funded primarily through research grants, public health funding, and UC Berkeley institutional support, with additional revenue from co-sponsored student internships with community organizations, health systems, and digital health companies. It serves academic researchers, communities experiencing maternal health disparities (Black, Pasifika, Latinx), safety-net healthcare systems, MCAH students/trainees, and femtech entrepreneurs. Leadership transitioned in September 2025 with the retirement of founding Faculty Director Dr. Kim Harley and the elevation of Dr. Lindsay Parham to Executive Director.

Name

The Wallace Center for Maternal Child and Adolescent Health

Legal name

The Wallace Center for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health

Website

https://wallacecenter.berkeley.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Academic research and training center at UC Berkeley School of Public Health conducting impact-oriented research on maternal, child, and adolescent health equity using technology, big data, and community partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Research

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAJANAE

Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health Program Evaluation

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Health Program Evaluation & Surveillance

SECONDARYHLAKAJAG

Family Planning & Contraception (Including Abortion Care)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB/GYN)

SECONDARYHLAKAJAI

Adolescent & Pediatric Gynecology

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB/GYN)

Keywords

• Maternal health research
• Reproductive health equity
• Perinatal care innovation
• Public health research
• Community doula research

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research grants and public health funding: As a university research center at UC Berkeley School of Public Health, the Wallace Center is funded primarily through research grants, public health funding, and institutional support. The center conducts impact-oriented research in reproductive health equity and trains the next generation of MCAH researchers.
2. Student internship co-sponsorship: Community organizations, healthcare systems, nonprofits, academic institutions, and industry partners collaborate with the center by hosting or co-sponsoring student interns on research, evaluation, communications, policy, and community engagement projects. This may involve co-funding student positions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Wallace Center is a multidisciplinary research and training center at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health that conducts impact-oriented research on maternal, child, and adolescent health. It studies reproductive health equity through big data analytics, social media analysis, health tracking app partnerships, and evaluation of community-based perinatal care programs. It also trains graduate students and supports digital health innovators in the reproductive health space.

Product overview

The Wallace Center for Maternal Child and Adolescent Health is a multidisciplinary research and training center at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. It is not a product company but rather conducts impact-oriented research and training at the intersection of technology, innovation, and reproductive health equity. The Center's work includes research initiatives such as the Quality Improvement for Health Equity in Reproduction (QI4HER+) program, evaluating community-based care models like BElovedBIRTH Black Centering and Spanish Centering, and leveraging big data from social media platforms for reproductive health research. It does not offer commercial products or services but provides research publications, student training opportunities, and community partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wallace Center Research and Training Programs Impact-oriented research and training programs at the intersection of technology, innovation, and reproductive health equity, serving academic researchers, community partners, healthcare systems, and graduate students at UC Berkeley.
• QI4HER+ Research and Evaluation Initiative Long-term research collaboration with Alameda Health System at Highland Hospital to evaluate BElovedBIRTH Black Centering and Spanish Centering Pregnancy programs, conducting mixed-methods evaluation including participant interviews and outcome tracking to improve perinatal health equity.
• MCAH Student Internship Co-Sponsorship Program Co-sponsorship program connecting UC Berkeley graduate students with partner organizations for hands-on research, evaluation, communications, policy, and community engagement projects in maternal, child, and adolescent health.
• Doctoral Lab Doctoral training and research community managed by Dr. Lindsay Parham, providing doctoral students with structured research mentorship and career development in maternal, child, and adolescent health.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lower rates of preterm birth and low birth weight among BElovedBIRTH Black Centering participants compared to those outside the program within Alameda Health System (2024 annual report)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC) / California OEHHAminorOthers · 1 May 2024Dr. Kim Harley was appointed by Governor Newsom to serve on DARTIC, which decides which chemicals get Prop 65 labels. This committee is part of California's regulatory framework for reproductive toxicants under Proposition 65. Dr. Harley had served on this committee since 2017.
• Alameda Health System / Highland HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term research collaboration through the QI4HER+ initiative, focused on improving perinatal health at Oakland's Highland Hospital, the safety-net hospital for Alameda County. Wallace Center serves as research and evaluation partner for BElovedBIRTH Black Centering and Spanish Centering Pregnancy programs, conducting mixed-methods evaluation including participant interviews and outcome tracking.
• SisterWeb San Francisco Community Doula NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSisterWeb is a San Francisco-based community doula network advancing birth equity for Black families. Wallace Center has supported graduate student interns and evaluation of the Champion Dyad Initiative (CDI), which pairs community doulas with hospital-based clinical champions. Also supports MCAH workforce development through student internships. CDI was originally developed by SisterWeb and clinical partners in San Francisco.
• City College of San FranciscoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SisterWeb to launch Blossoming Birth Community Doula Training Course (HLTH 210), a three-unit credited course and the first community doula training program of its kind in the Bay Area. Wallace Center supports this through graduate student research and evaluation of the CDI model.
• UCSFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on multiple research projects including evaluation of SisterWeb's community doula programs (with Dr. Andrea Jackson, OB-GYN professor in UCSF's Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences), evaluation of the Champion Dyad Initiative, and shared research agenda development on community doula care funded by PCORI.
• Bixby Center for Population, Health & Sustainability (UC Berkeley)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on infodemiology research using Google search data, and shared research interests in reproductive health equity. The Bixby Center and Wallace Center have collaborated on Reddit-based research projects including the r/abortion study.
• Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity (SHARE) Program (UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Anu Manchikanti Gómez leads SHARE at UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare. The Wallace Center's Dr. Cassie Marshall collaborated on evaluation of SisterWeb's community doula programs and the California payer perspectives study on Medicaid and commercial coverage of doula care, supported by the California Health Care Foundation.
• Abundant Birth Project (San Francisco)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Abundant Birth Project is the first pregnancy income supplement program in the country, providing unconditional cash supplements to Black and Pacific Islander pregnant people in San Francisco. Wallace Center supported an evaluation study through the SHARE program, exploring the impact of unconditional cash supplements during pregnancy on birthing people and their babies.
• Expecting Justice (San Francisco)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSan Francisco-based program committed to addressing disproportionate rates of poor pregnancy and childbirth outcomes among Black and Pasifika communities using a Racism as a Root Cause approach. Wallace Center has facilitated student internships with this organization focusing on doula access, lactation education, and community outreach.
• Birth By UsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly-stage startup app for Black women and birthing people in their perinatal journey. Wallace Center was an early partner, providing mentorship and executive support to move the co-founder from seed-stage to early pilot stage within 12 months. The co-founder completed her MPH at UC Berkeley in 2023.
• National Birth Equity CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirth By Us partnered with the National Birth Equity Collaborative as part of its market analysis and partnership development for maternal health equity-focused institutions and organizations.
• HopeLabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a current partner organization for student internships in the reproductive health and maternal health innovation space.
• Alameda County Public Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the QI4HER+ initiative alongside Alameda Health System's Department of Obstetrics, Midwifery, and Gynecology. Collaborates on improving perinatal care and birth equity in Alameda County through mixed-methods research and evaluation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Birth Equity Collaborative: National organization focused on birth equity research and advocacy. Connected to Wallace Center through Birth By Us (a Wallace-supported startup) which partnered with NBEC for market analysis and partnership development in maternal health equity.
• Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity (SHARE) Program: UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare program led by Dr. Anu Manchikanti Gómez conducting research on sexual and reproductive equity. Has overlapping research on Medicaid and commercial coverage of doula care and collaborates directly with Wallace Center faculty on community doula evaluations.
• Expecting Justice: San Francisco-based program committed to addressing disproportionate rates of poor pregnancy and childbirth outcomes among Black and Pasifika communities using a Racism as a Root Cause approach. Wallace Center facilitates student internships with this organization.
• SisterWeb San Francisco Community Doula Network: San Francisco-based community doula network advancing birth equity for Black families. Directly partnered with Wallace Center for graduate student research, evaluation of the Champion Dyad Initiative, and workforce development through student internships.
• Bixby Center for Population, Health & Sustainability: UC Berkeley-based research center focused on population, health, and sustainability. Collaborates directly with Wallace Center on Reddit-based research projects including the r/abortion study and infodemiology research using Google search data. Operates the same academic research model within the same institution.
• UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative: UCSF-based research initiative addressing racial disparities in preterm birth. Operates the Expecting Justice program and shares research focus with Wallace Center on community-based interventions for Black and Pasifika communities in San Francisco Bay Area.

Broad incumbents

• March of Dimes: National organization focused on maternal and infant health, particularly addressing preterm birth, birth defects, and infant mortality. Operates as a much larger established player in the same MCAH space with broader programmatic scope than Wallace Center.
• Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP): National membership organization for state maternal and child health programs. Wallace Center presents research at AMCHP annual conferences and is recognized as a thought leader in MCAH workforce development nationally.
• Black Mamas Matter Alliance: National alliance advancing Black maternal health, rights, and justice. Operates as a broader advocacy and research network in the same maternal health equity space as Wallace Center but with national scope and policy focus.

Emerging players

• Clue: Menstrual cycle tracking app that partners with Wallace Center to study menstrual cycle characteristics of adolescents and perimenopause symptoms in older users using app data. Represents the femtech ecosystem the center supports through research validation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wallacecenterformcah4485
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-wallace-center-for-maternal-child-and-adolescent-health
• Instagraminstagram.com/thewallacecenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Wallace Center for Maternal Child and Adolescent Health