Maria Munoz

Maria Muñoz is a PhD Candidate in Public Health at Tulane University whose research examines the intersection of disaster resilience, food systems, and community health. She studies how communities and organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from hurricanes and other climate-related disruptions, with a particular focus on emergency food systems and food and nutrition security. Her dissertation examines how local and state organizations coordinate disaster food assistance in New Orleans, Louisiana, including the role of programs such as Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and in-kind food distribution during disaster response and early recovery. Using social network analysis and community-engaged research methods, her work seeks to identify practical strategies to strengthen coordination, improve access to nutritious food, and support more equitable recovery outcomes. Muñoz holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University and a Master of Science in disaster resilience leadership from Tulane University. Drawing on her interdisciplinary background in design, disaster resilience, and public health, she is passionate about developing community-centered approaches to building more resilient and equitable food systems.