Breana Turner is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health program at Virginia Tech. She earned a Master of Public Health from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor’s degree from George Mason University in kinesiology. Breana’s research combines frameworks from Black Feminist Theory and Superwoman Schema to understand Black women’s perceptions surrounding health and wellness.
Her motto is: “It’s not my responsibility to fit inside the limited box society wants to define for me.” Throughout Breana’s academic journey, including her Ph.D. studies, she competed in pageants. Most notably she was the very first Miss Virginia Volunteer within the Miss Volunteer America Organization. Breana has vlogged and given insight into her pageantry and Ph.D. journey through her weekly series #PrincessandthePhD on social media.
As a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Breana continues to uphold the values of service and excellence in all her endeavors. Upon completion of her degree, Breana aspires to occupy a space in media where she can work to bridge the gap between the average person, science, and health topics. Additionally, she wants to continue her passion and purpose to advocate for health equity and amplify the voices of under-invited communities, especially Black women.