Kirsty Valerie Bernal, MD

As the Program Coordinator for the Homeless Health Initiative at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Kirsty Valerie Bernal, MD supports the coordination and implementation of programs that improve access to healthcare, resources, and supportive services for children and families experiencing housing instability. Her work focuses on strengthening partnerships between healthcare providers, community organizations, and public health programs to advance equitable and community-centered care.

Dr. Bernal is a bilingual physician and public health professional with experience in program coordination, community engagement, and mixed-methods research focused on health equity and underserved populations. Her work has centered on improving access to care and services for diverse families through culturally responsive approaches that integrate community partnership, research, and program implementation.

She has coordinated research and outreach initiatives involving multilingual families, supported needs assessments and community-informed program development, and helped design educational tools and engagement strategies to improve access to health services. Her experience includes collaborating across healthcare, academic, and community organizations to support programs that address disparities in child health and development.

Dr. Bernal received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Universidad del Rosario in Colombia and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Global Health at the University of Pennsylvania. She also completed a fellowship in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) at SUNY Downstate University. Earlier in her training, she participated in primary healthcare outreach and health education initiatives with Indigenous communities in Colombia.

Through her work, Dr. Bernal is committed to advancing equity-driven public health strategies that combine research, community partnership, and thoughtful program coordination to improve outcomes for children and families.