Assistant Professor, Sociology, School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts
Prof. Van Natta is a medical sociologist who studies health inequities, with particular interests in immigration policy and health, the healthcare safety net, and the use of biometric data in immigration enforcement. Van Natta's research highlights how racialized anti-immigrant policies at the federal, state, and local levels shape how immigrants and mixed-status families negotiate health concerns in different policy contexts. She also examines how such policies impact the ability of healthcare workers to provide care in immigrant communities.
Van Natta previously worked as a surgical case manager and healthcare interpreter for immigrant patients in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and these experiences drive her current research questions.
