Akira C. Byas is a first-generation Haitian-American public health professional, community advocate, and podcast host with a deep-rooted commitment to advancing health equity, particularly within underserved and minority-majority communities.

Born in the vibrant city of Miami, Florida, and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire, Akira is the eldest of four children—a role that nurtured her strong sense of responsibility and compassion from an early age.

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Plymouth State University (PSU) and went on to receive her Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS). While at MCPHS, she served on the Graduate Student Advisory Board and the executive board of the Public Health Society, exemplifying her leadership in both academic and community spaces.

Akira’s career spans diverse roles across public health, education, and civic engagement. She currently serves as the Manager of Development Initiatives at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. In this role, she supports major donor relations, alumni engagement, and development operations aimed at enhancing funding and advancing medical innovation. She manages project deliverables, facilitates donor communications, organizes events, and crafts targeted alumni content—all aligned with the institution’s broader goals.

Complementing her work in development, Akira also serves as a Certified Doula with the Broward Healthy Start Coalition. She provides emotional, physical, and informational support to expectant and new mothers, advocating for their birth preferences, offering personalized care plans, and educating families on postpartum and newborn care. Her hands-on efforts in maternal health reflect her broader mission to address racial disparities in perinatal outcomes.

Previously, Akira served the City of North Miami as Public Engagement Officer and Constituent Services Coordinator, where she strengthened community relationships, improved civic responsiveness, and led key initiatives. Her efforts secured and stewarded over $25,000 in funding for community programs, yielding measurable improvements in public engagement, service delivery, and equity.

Akira is also the founder and host of The Real Tea on P & P, a podcast dedicated to amplifying the voices of Black and birthing People of Color. Through candid storytelling, expert interviews, and cultural insight, the show tackles systemic inequities in pregnancy and postpartum care—offering a space for healing, education, and advocacy.

Outside of her professional life, Akira is actively involved in local fitness clubs and wellness communities. Whether through faith, public health, or media, her mission remains the same: to bridge culturally competent strategies that promote wellness, elevate marginalized voices, and inspire sustainable change.