Nawal Umar works in the field of sexual and reproductive health policy. She currently works as a Senior Policy Analyst at SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, a leading national non-profit that advocates for comprehensive sex education through policy change. She is responsible for tracking and monitoring state, local, and federal policies and impending legislation related to sex education and other progressive sexual and reproductive health issues.

Prior to joining SIECUS, Nawal completed her Masters in Public Health degree in Sociomedical Sciences with a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual, and Reproductive Health from the Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. While at Mailman, she developed and wrote her culminating thesis on a research proposal for exploring parent-teen communication about sex and sexual health in Muslim-American families. Her public health interests include advocating for comprehensive, inclusive, and culturally responsive sexuality education, reproductive justice, and resolving sexual health disparities. Her previous experience includes working as both a sex educator and health educator as well as being involved in qualitative public health research.