Dr. Janelle Palacios

PhD, CNM, RN

I’m Janelle Palacios, a nurse midwife, researcher, story scientist and Founder of Encoded 4 Story- a consulting firm specializing in integrating history to tell stories for healthier maternal, infant, child and family health. Much of my work applies my lived experience as a Salish & Kootenai Indigenous woman growing up in poverty on a rural reservation in Northwestern Montana with my clinical experience as a nurse midwife of more than 10 years, and research expertise seeking health equity for Indigenous families and communities.

Most recently my expertise was recognized in a 4-year appointment to a national committee through HRSA as both a committee member on the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality (ACIMM), but also as a C0-Chair of the Health Equity Workgroup under this national committee, culminating in the committee’s first national report on American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) maternal/infant/child health entitled Making Amends: Recommended Strategies and Actions to Improve the Health and Safety of American Indian and Alaska Native Mothers and Infants.