Dr. Petrice Sams-Abiodun is currently the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships in Louisiana with Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast where she is responsible for providing strategic direction on the affiliates programs including education, public affairs, communication, development and community relations. She currently has an opportunity to combine her research and social justice agendas to address the issues of reproductive health, rights and justice for the people of Louisiana. In her previous role as the Executive Director at the Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy at Loyola University, she worked tirelessly to examine the broader issue of literacy as a vehicle for personal, economic and community empowerment. In an effort to link research with practice she worked closely with the Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans and other community and faith-based organizations to eradicate low literacy. She is personally committed to using her experience and skills to develop a stronger Louisiana and to this end serves on numerous local and national boards and committees.  Dr. Sams-Abiodun is native New Orleanian, a former resident of public housing and a graduate of New Orleans public schools. She received a Ph.D. in Sociology from Tulane University in 2003. As a family demographer, her goal is to use research for the development and liberation of traditionally marginalized and oppressed people. Her research areas include social methodology, poverty and family issues. Her present research focuses on the role and responsibilities of men as fathers, family and community members. She is also exploring how to use culture and arts as assets for addressing social issues.  She has been invited to numerous conferences to share her work.