Dr. Bennefield is a medical sociologist whose research and teaching interests include childhood and adolescent mental health, holistic health interventions, and health justice. She received a B.A. in sociology from Salem College and a M.S. and Ph.D. in sociology with concentrations in medical sociology and race & ethnic relations from Texas A&M University. Currently working as a college professor and a research scientist, Dr. Bennefield enjoys teaching courses on medical sociology, health disparities, and mental health. With over 7 years of experience teaching at the college level, Dr. Bennefield has spent copious time studying how students learn and what students need in a changing world. She has been noted as being a passionate, high energy educator who creates a challenging but welcoming classroom experience. When not teaching, Dr. Bennefield is working in her lab with undergraduates and graduate students producing research meant to improve the quality of people's lives. Her research has been published in Research in the Sociology of Health Care, Child and Adolescent Social Work, Contemporary People of Color: Health and Wellness, Social Science and Medicine, The American Journal of Health Education, and The Journal of Black Masculinity.