Dr. Yolanda Serra Martinez (she/her) holds an International Ph.D., Summa Cum Laude, from The University of Texas Health Science Center Houston and the University of Lerida (Spain). She started her professional career as a surgical nurse working for eleven years at the Clinic Hospital of Barcelona, a hospital with a long-standing research tradition, both domestically and internationally.
In 2005, she studied communication and transitioned her career, working as a health communication journalist for radio and television, combining two of her passions: health and communication. In 2013, She graduated with honors with a master's degree in Health Education from the University of Lerida, one of the Universities with the most prestigious M.Ed. Programs in Spain. Since then, she continues to hold an adjunct professor in Health Communication and Health Promotion at the University of Lerida.
In 2015, she accepted a Predoctoral Fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, School of Public Health. As a Fellow, she worked with mentor Dr. Maria E. Fernandez, co-author of Planning Health Promotion Programs (commonly referred to as Intervention Mapping). During her fellowship, she developed behavioral interventions to increase colorectal cancer screening in Puerto Rico and HPV vaccinations in Latino communities in South Texas. She conducted qualitative research to reduce occupational injuries among Latino day laborers.
Accommodating her spouse's career, the couple moved to San Diego in 2018. She joined SDSU as an adjunct faculty for the MPH program in 2018, teaching Chronic Diseases Prevention and Control and Health Communication. Dr. Serra Martinez collaborates internationally with prestigious institutions such as the Superior School of Medicine of the National University of Buenos Aires. Some examples of her lectures are Nutrition and Longevity, Participatory Communication, and Defying Misinformation.
Searching for the best evidence to prevent chronic diseases and cancer, she found the path of Lifestyle Medicine and Plant-Based Nutrition. Dr. Serra Martinez has a Plant-Based Nutrition certification from Cornell University and an international Health Coach certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. In 2022, she founded Plant-Based Wave, a project to prevent chronic diseases, improve health, and promote longevity by following a Plant-Based lifestyle. She is a member of the Plant-Based Health Professionals of the UK and Whole Communities. She and her family constantly move around the world (who knows where they are now?). They are swimmers and love outdoor activities, gardening, and spending quality time together.