Dr. Munala is an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. Her research examines violence against women and children across the lifespan, with a focus on how individual, family, social, and structural factors shape experiences of intimate partner violence, access to care, and help-seeking among survivors who face social and structural barriers. Her research spans East Africa and U.S. immigrant communities and examines how health systems, social conditions, and cultural contexts influence survivors’ experiences and pathways to care. Her current work explores the intersection of climate change and gender-based violence in Kenya, including how climate-related stressors and institutional responses shape risks for women and girls.