Hannah Shai Deleon Guerrero has reached a major milestone in her doctoral studies, having defended her dissertation proposal and successfully advanced to ABD (All But Dissertation) status in Fall 2024. Her work focuses on critical issues in nutrition and health policy in the Northern Mariana Islands, a field where she hopes to make a significant contribution.
Prestigious RWJF Funding Bolsters Dissertation Work
Hannah’s research promise has been recognized with substantial support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). She is a distinguished recipient of the highly competitive Health Policy Research Scholars (HPRS) Fellowship, a four-year award running from 2023 through 2027 and totaling $124,000. This fellowship underscores the relevance of her work in advancing health equity through policy change.Further demonstrating confidence in her research plan, Hannah was awarded the Health Policy Research Scholars Dissertation Award in February 2025. This $9,731 award will directly support her dissertation research costs from February 2025 through February 2026, helping ensure the timely and robust completion of her studies.
Further demonstrating confidence in her research plan, Hannah was awarded the Health Policy Research Scholars Dissertation Award in February 2025. This $9,731 award will directly support her dissertation research costs from February 2025 through February 2026, helping ensure the timely and robust completion of her studies.
Sharing Expertise in the Northern Mariana Islands
Hannah is actively engaging with the community and sharing her expertise through key presentations in the Pacific region. Earlier this year, she presented at several important gatherings on Saipan:
- March 14, 2025: She presented research on Beverage Consumption Characteristics of NMI Children in the CHL Program at the Northern Marianas College Research Symposium.
- March 25, 2025: Hannah shared her insights on Nutrition and Health Policy at the CNMI Women’s Association’s 11th Annual Women’s Summit.
- June 17, 2025: She participated in a plenary panel discussion on Insights and Strategies for Conducting Meaningful Research in the Pacific Islands at the Pacific Population Health Summit hosted by the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation.
- October 23, 2025: Hannah presented her dissertation research updates at the NMI CHL Local Advisory Council Meeting.
These presentation opportunities highlight the direct impact of her research on local health issues and policy discussions, emphasizing her role as an emerging leader committed to community engagement and health advocacy.