pronouns: she/her/hers

Brandie Bentley is a Birth Equity Research Scholar and Ph.D. student in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also holds an MSW from UIUC and BSW from Eastern Michigan University. Brandie is passionate about supporting Black families through research and practice. Her research uses a systems-level lens to investigate racial disparities in the Early Intervention program, a federally funded service system that meets the specialized needs of children with developmental delays and disabilities. She seeks to use her research as a tool for enhancing community systems development efforts that work to improve maternal and infant health outcomes for dually marginalized families. Brandie is also a Doula and envisions creating accessible content to increase disability awareness and sensitivity through illustration.

Quote: “I strive for Black people to achieve our birthright to thrive– free to be, create, and love. By placing Black disabled folks at the forefront, my work contributes to developing accessible pathways to collective abundance.”