Amy St. Pierre

Amy Wald St. Pierre died on May 3, 2023 at the age of 38, the victim of a senseless crime. While our grief is unimaginable, our hearts are filled with pride in having known and loved such a special person.

Amy dedicated her life to making the world a better place. She was an optimist who believed that everyone deserved the opportunities she was afforded in life, most importantly a safe living environment and access to a good education. She felt an obligation to society to do her part and was an incredibly generous giver. Amy had many causes and organizations she donated her time and money to, all rooted in her commitment to be of service in this world.

Amy grew up in Connecticut before coming to Atlanta where she attended high school and graduated with honors from Emory University. She was a ballet dancer from childhood through college and beyond. She fostered dogs. She was a book club member. She was an avid swimmer - in the ocean at her beloved Pawleys Island and at 6:00 am weekday sessions at a local indoor pool.

She loved to travel but not as a typical tourist. After college, she spent several months volunteering in a medical clinic in Uganda - she was quite a novelty at Emory University Hospital when she returned home with a case of malaria. She learned to speak Mandarin while living and teaching English in an industrial city in China for two years. Later, she obtained an international MBA from Georgia State University, studying in Europe and South America.

Amy’s personal life changed course when she met Julian at the classic Atlanta dive bar ‘The Local’. They made a perfect match - Amy brainy and driven; Julian artistic and creative. They quickly fell in love and married in 2014. Their family was made complete by Lydia, born in 2015, followed by Louis in 2017. Amy was a devoted mother who empowered her children every day with her guidance, love, and affection. Their preferred mode of transportation was a cargo bike - weather be damned. Adventurous nature lovers, camping and hiking became favorite family activities, recently made better by the addition of their rescue dog, Millie.

Amy’s professional life was central to her being. Her work at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was focused on improving the lives of others. She began her career there in 2014 supporting the global implementation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In 2016, she transitioned to maternal health work in the U.S. as the first staff person hired to support new maternal mortality prevention efforts in the Division of Reproductive Health. She drove her team to strive for excellence to achieve equity in outcomes for all pregnant and postpartum people. Her attention to detail, organizational leadership, and capacity to relentlessly push for incremental progress on major public health goals leaves a legacy that will continue to drive better health outcomes for all birthing people and their families in the U.S. She was a brilliant mentor and a friend to many at CDC. In tribute to Amy, the Pacific Island Health Officers Association will be naming their new Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Fellowship program in her honor as the Amy St. Pierre Maternal and Child Health Fellowship.

In addition to her beloved Julian, Lydia and Louis, Amy is survived by her parents, Danny and Susie Wald, her two brothers, Michael (Tory) and Alex (Caitlin), and many cousins, nieces and nephews who love her deeply. She also leaves behind the finest circle of friends, each of whom she cherished, as well as her wonderful Orme neighbors.

A celebration of Amy’s life will be held on Friday, May 12th at 4:00 pm in the Cherry Logan Emerson Concert Hall of Emory University. Reservations are full. The service will be available by livestream for those unable to attend. For the women attending, please wear colorful clothes as would be Amy’s wish.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Amy’s memory may be directed to the following organizations for social justice, a cause that was so dear to her heart:

Tides Advocacy Fund (Solidaire Action) http://www.tidesadvocacy.org/

Highlander Research and Education Center (Southern Power Fund) https://highlandercenter.org/

Cypress Fund (Neo Philanthropy, Inc.) http://www.cypressfund.org/donate

Reserve Your Seat: Reservations are full

Recommended parking is in the Fishburne Parking Deck.

Livestream Amy's Service: https://schwartz.emory.edu/amystpierre