Jenita Parekh, MPH, PhD, is a senior research scientist at Child Trends dedicated to implementing and evaluating evidence-based programs related to adolescent health and well-being. At Child Trends,  she serves as Principal Investigator and Project Director or Senior Advisor on projects with an array of federal and foundation funders that work to improve the health for youth and young adults in the U.S. This includes leading large-scale implementation and impact studies (randomized control trials, quasi experimental designs, implementation evaluations and formative evaluations), with an intentional focus on community engagement methods and innovation in adolescent health and well-being.

Dr. Parekh also leads trainings nationwide for foundations, universities, government agencies, and research organizations on community engaged research. She has presented her work at Campus Community Partnerships for Health, the American Public Health Association, TPP/Title X grantee conferences, and the National Institute of Health Conference of Implementation and Dissemination and is published in Prevention Science, Evaluation and Program Planning, Violence against Women, and the American Journal of Public Health. She served on the faculty at George Washington University’s School of Public Health, teaching community engagement and advocacy to graduate students. She received her PhD in Maternal and Child Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and her MPH in Community Health Practice from the University of Texas.