Dr. Perez received her MD from the University of Miami in Miami, FL and completed pediatric residency and neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship training at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. She also completed a Master of Public Health degree at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health prior to joining on as faculty at the University of Washington, division of neonatology. Her research interests are in improving global newborn health and reducing disparities in health outcomes of newborns born in low resource environments. Dr. Perez previously conceptualized and designed a study in Nicaragua to improve the care of newborns in select remote regions using Helping Babies Breathe and Essential Care for Every Baby programs paired with supportive supervision. Dr. Perez is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of International Child Health.