Lyla S. Yang

Lyla S. Yang is a PhD student in the Advanced Practice track. Her research examines the intersection of motherhood and sex work among women engaged in sex work (WESW), focusing on how motherhood shapes their decision-making, access to healthcare, and engagement with HIV prevention and treatment services. Lyla’s work highlights the challenges and resilience of WESW as they navigate stigma, economic vulnerability, and competing priorities, while also shedding light on their strategies to assert agency and balance their roles as mothers and workers. Originally from South Korea, she earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business and an MSW from the Columbia School of Social Work.