DR. CHERI A. PIES, born on this date, was a professor of public health who blazed a trail for lesbian mothers and became a national leader in women’s health.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from UC Berkeley in 1971, and a master’s degree in social work from Boston University in 1976. Pies returned to UC Berkeley and earned a master’s degree in public health in 1985 and her doctorate in public health education in 1993.

In the decades before same-sex marriage was legal, Pies’ 1985 book, Considering Parenthood: A Workbook for Lesbians, was a lifeline for countless lesbians who were eager to become mothers but needed help to navigate the legal and practical issues around adoption, the use of sperm donors, HIV, and other concerns.

Pies went on to spend many years as a clinical professor at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. There, her research examined the social determinants of health and proposed ways of addressing the social and economic inequities that influence birth outcomes and generational health.

She was a beloved teacher and mentor, with a passion for training the next generation of public health researchers and practitioners. Since 2017, Berkeley Public Health has given annual awards in Pies’ honor for the best application of life course theory.

One of Pies’ most important achievements was overseeing the launch and early years of the Best Babies Zone Initiative (BBZ). The program, which eventually spread to nine cities, aimed to reduce infant mortality by fostering collaboration across community sectors, such as economic development, health care, education and child care.

For this and Pies’ other public health work, she received the 2018 Maternal and Child Health Bureau Director’s Award from the Health Resources and Services Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Pies died of cancer on July 4, 2023 in Berkeley. She was 73.