Dr.Ali’s Commitment to Health Equity and Advocacy
Fatimah B. Ali is a public health professional, researcher, and community health educator with multidisciplinary experience spanning academia, community-based organizations, corporate settings, and community-driven clinical research environments. Her work centers on advancing equitable, patient-centered research through collaborative, community-informed approaches that bridge evidence, practice, and lived experience.
Dr. Ali’s professional background includes project management and coordination across public health and clinical research initiatives, with experience supporting study design, implementation, data collection, stakeholder engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. She has contributed to projects focused on health education, program development, and evaluation, bringing a strong understanding of how research translates into real-world health outcomes. Across settings, she is known for her ability to manage complex projects, facilitate collaboration among diverse partners, and ensure that research efforts remain grounded in community needs.
A passion of Dr. Ali’s is lupus advocacy and research collaboration. As a woman living with lupus, she brings a unique and valuable perspective to patient-centered and community-engaged research. Her lived experience informs her commitment to addressing gaps in lupus education, representation, and outcomes—particularly for populations mostly affected by the disease. She is especially interested in collaborative research that integrates clinical inquiry with community voice, qualitative insight, and culturally responsive health education.
Dr. Ali is passionate about partnering with researchers, clinicians, community organizations, and advocacy groups to support lupus-focused studies and broader chronic disease research. Her interests include community-engaged research, health education interventions, dissemination and implementation science, and strategies that enhance participation, trust, and relevance in research among people living with lupus.
This commitment to accessible and empathetic health communication also led to her first children’s book, “Lulu’s Secret Garden: Blooming Big with Lupus,” which uses storytelling and metaphor to introduce concepts of chronic illness, self-care, and resilience. The book is written under her pen name, Matina B Alby, reflects Dr. Ali’s belief that effective research and education must meet people where they are—across ages, literacy levels, and lived experiences.
Outside of her research and professional work, Dr. Ali enjoys culinary gardening, a practice that aligns with her holistic view of health, wellness, and sustainability.
Dr. Ali welcomes opportunities to collaborate on community-engaged and lupus-focused research projects, contribute to interdisciplinary research teams, and support initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes and quality of life for people living with lupus.
