Boynton-Jarrett is a pediatrician and social epidemiologist whose areas of expertise are health and medicine, public health, social epidemiology, and population health. She focuses on how early-life adversities, such as psychosocial stress, obesity, and early puberty, can affect health. She has studied the intersection of community violence, intimate partner violence, and child abuse and neglect, and neighborhood characteristics. Vital Village is a Boston, Mass., network of residents and organizations committed to maximizing child, family, and community well-being.