Dr. Daniela Brissett is a physician, researcher, and advocate whose work sits at the powerful intersection of science, community, and justice. She serves as an assistant professor of pediatrics, public health, and clinical and translational science at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and as a faculty scholar at PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

At the heart of Dr. Brissett’s work is a deep commitment to young people—especially Black girls—whose experiences are too often overlooked or misunderstood. Her research shines a light on the need to protect childhood, focusing on the adultification and its far-reaching impact on their mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Through her studies on juvenile detention reform, substance use, and community-based partnerships, Dr. Brissett brings together rigorous science and the lived experiences of youth to drive meaningful change.

An alumna of the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her degree in molecular and cell biology, Dr. Brissett went on to receive her medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She completed her pediatrics residency through UCSF’s Pediatric Leadership for the Underserved (PLUS) Program and her adolescent medicine fellowship at CHOP, where she also trained as an affiliate at PolicyLab.

In every space she enters—whether in clinic rooms, classrooms, or community meetings—Dr. Brissett carries a steady belief that young people are not simply patients or subjects of research; they are partners, storytellers, and leaders in their own right. Her clinical practice in adolescent medicine remains deeply rooted in equity, working to ensure that marginalized youth and their families receive care that honors their full humanity. Through both scholarship and service, Dr. Brissett is building a future where every young person has the chance to be seen, heard, and well.