Dr. Ilana Azulay Chertok is a Professor and Associate Director of Nursing Research and Scholarship at the Ohio University, College of Health Sciences and Professions, School of Nursing. As a nurse researcher in international maternal-infant health, epidemiologist, and lactation consultant, the primary focus of her research is examining factors influencing maternal-infant health including lactation, gestational diabetes, and smoking in pregnancy. She engages in interdisciplinary research in the United States, WHO European Region, and Israel, with a current specific focus on factors associated with maternal-infant health in rural Appalachia. She has published and presented her work in national and international journals, conferences, and other professional forums. Dr. Chertok has served as a mentor to graduate students, undergraduate students, research fellows, and health professionals of various disciplines including nursing, medicine, and public health.