Michele L. Okun, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Research at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Director of the Sleep and Biobehavioral Health Research Laboratory. As one of the leading researchers on sleep during the perinatal period, her work investigates how sleep disturbances, particularly insomnia, augment risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes via neuro-immune and neuro-endocrine pathways. Dr. Okun’s work has shown that poor sleep quality and insomnia significantly increase the risk for postpartum depression and preterm birth. Currently, she is examining behavioral interventions to mitigate that risk. In addition to studying perinatal women, Dr. Okun is evaluating how cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia influences cardiometabolic indices in post-menopausal women.  Dr. Okun is funded by NIH, has served as a peer reviewer for over two dozen journals, and has authored or co-authored over five dozen scientific articles and book chapters.