Abigail Gamble, PhD

Abigail Gamble, PhD

Associate Professor

Department:
SPH-Dept Preventive Medicine

Email:
agamble2@umc.edu

Work Phone:
(601) 815-9482

Biography

Abigail Gamble is an associate professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) with faculty appointments in the Department of Preventive Medicine, John D. Bower School of Population Health, and the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine; Director of the Center for Child Health Equity, Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities; and faculty in the Investigator Development Program, Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research.

Dr. Gamble is a New Jersey native and received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in elementary education and liberal studies from Rowan University, where she served as captain of the University's Field Hockey team. In 2004, she relocated to Oxford, Mississippi, where she attended the University of Mississippi (UM) and received her Master’s of Science degree in health promotion and Doctoral degree in health and kinesiology. Her doctoral research received outstanding recognition awards from the UM and the American Academy of Health Behavior. Following graduate school, she served as the Evaluation Lead for the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative, Mississippi State Department of Health. She joined the UMMC faculty in April 2014. In her spare time, she enjoys exercising and spending as much time as possible with her six nieces and nephews.

Education

University of MS, PhD, Health and Kinesiology2011
University of MS, MS, Health Promotion2007
Rowan University, BA, Elementary Education2003
Rowan University, BA, Liberal Studies2003
University of California, San Francisco, Graduate Certificate, Implementation Science

Specialty Certification Licensure

Certification, Lifestyle Coach03/2018 - Present
Certification, Certified Health Education Specialist03/2010 - 02/2014

Current Positions

Director12/2022 - Present
Associate Professor, School of Population Health, Department of Preventive Medicine07/2022 - Present
The University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi 39216

Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments

Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Population Health, Department of Preventive Medicine09/2016 - 06/2022
Assistant Professor, Kent State University08/2015 - 08/2016
Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics04/2014 - 06/2015
Instructor, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics04/2013 - 04/2014
Evaluation Lead, Mississippi State Department of Health07/2011 - 03/2013
MS Network Organizer, Safe Routes to School08/2010 - 06/2011
Adjunct Instructor, University of Mississippi08/2010 - 06/2011
Weight Management and Lifestyle Counselor, University of Mississippi08/2010 - 06/2011
Principal Investigator, University of Mississippi2010 - 07/2010
Graduate Instructor/Research Assistant, University of Mississippi08/2006 - 12/2009
Exercise Specialist II, North Mississippi Baptist Memorial Hospital02/2006 - 05/2008
Fitness Graduate Assistant, University of Mississippi08/2004 - 07/2006

Sponsored Program Funding

Extramural, Teen Mom Study: A Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Trial, NIMHD10/2023 - 06/2026
Extramural, Advancing, Inspiring, and Motivating for Community Health Through Extension: Aim for Change 2, CDC09/2023 - 09/2028
Extramural, Impact of Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Extension and Mandated Postpartum Depression Screening on Care for Gestational Diabetes and Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy, NICHD09/2023 - 07/2030
Extramural, Southern Center for Maternal Health, NICHD09/2023 - 07/2030
Extramural, Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center (GTEC) at UMMC, NHLBI08/2023 - 09/2025
Extramural, Mississippi Diabetes Project: Advancing Health Equity in Diabetes Care and Prevention, CDC06/2023 - 06/2028
Extramural, Connected Community Care: Mitigating Social Needs and Improving Health with Community Health Workers, MSDH01/2023 - 09/2024
Extramural, Teen Mom 2: A Multicomponent Digital Health Intervention to Improve Black Maternal Cardiometabolic Health in Mississippi’s WIC Community, NIMHD09/2022 - 08/2023
Extramural, Mississippi School-based Telehealth Program: A Population Approach to Advance Health Equity, MDE03/2022 - 09/2024
Extramural, Peer Health Coaching Program for Pregnant Adolescents: Proof of Concept, HRSA09/2021 - 09/2024
Extramural, Evaluation and Return on Investment of UMMC’s Diabetes Prevention Program, AMA01/2021 - 12/2024
Extramural, Sustainability of UMMC's Diabetes Prevention Program, MSDH11/2020 - 10/2021
Extramural, Telehealth Diabetes Prevention Intervention for the Next Generation of African American Youth (TELE-GEN) pilot study, NHLBI07/2020 - 07/2022
Extramural, Advancing, Inspiring, and Motivating Community Health through Extension: AIM for CHangE, CDC09/2018 - 09/2021
Extramural, PM-CALM: Preventive Medicine Curriculum for Access to Lifestyle Medicine, HRSA05/2018 - 04/2023
Intramural, Teen Mom Study, NIGMS08/2017 - 07/2022
Extramural, Challenges and Requirements for Building Public Health Department Capacity to Advance Health Equity, Kellogg Foundation01/2017 - 08/2017
Intramural, Helping Hands for Health Hearts (4H4U): Pilot Study, UMMC Office of Research05/2014 - 04/2015
Extramural, Mississippi In-School Physical Activity Policy Translation, RWJF03/2013 - 11/2013
Extramural, The Burden of Chronic Disease and Health Risk Factors in Mississippi Adults and Youth, My Brother's Keeper, Inc.03/2012 - 09/2012
Extramural, The Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative, CDC10/2010 - 09/2015
Extramural, The Role of Policy and the Built Environment on Children’s In-School Physical Activity in the Mississippi Delta, RWJF01/2010 - 12/2010
Extramural, Physician Practices Among Obese Women of Childbearing Age, University of Mississippi06/2008 - 06/2010
Extramural, Safe Routes to School, Oxford, MS, MDOT02/2008 - 02/2011
Extramural, Perception of the Rural Environment for Physical Activity: Instrument Development, RWJF11/2007 - 03/2009
Extramural, Defining Activity Friendly Environments in the Rural South, RWJF01/2007 - 06/2008
Extramural, Student Recreation In-Door Cycling Program, Ole Miss Parents Association08/2004 - 12/2004

Publications

Report

Beech BM, Bruce MA, Gamble A, Crump ME, Hamilton GE Challenges and Requirements for Building Public Health Department Capacity to Advance Health Equity: The Mississippi Case2017
Gamble A, Hallam JS, Cormack ML Mississippi In-School Physical Activity Policy2014
Gamble A, Mendy V, Short V Mississippi Chronic Disease Indicators Report, 20122012

Journal Article

Harris KK, Christman BD, Hillegass WB, Lim CS, Burton ET, Afshan S, Liu X, Sandridge SW, Welsch M, Zhang L, Sandlin R, Grayson B, Gamble A, Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Pediatric Patients at a Mississippi Academic Medical Center. American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 2025 Aug 27;:89011712513706662025
Affuso O, Buckley L, Gamble A, Heitman E, Tyrone RS, Reneker JC, Outcomes and evaluation of a National Institutes of Health funded training program for doctoral students: The Jackson Heart Study Graduate Education and Training Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Evaluation and program planning, 2025 Aug;111:1026062025
Agbonlahor O, Gamble A, Compretta C, Mann JR, Faruque F, Psychosocial factors and associations with preventive cardiovascular screening among U.S adults: Findings from the National Health Interview Survey, 2023. Preventive medicine, 2025 May;194:1082722025
Agbonlahor O, Gamble A, Compretta C, Mann JR, Bidwell J, Williams BD, Provider Lifestyle Counseling Among Adults With Cardiometabolic Disease Diagnosis Differs by Sociodemographic Characteristics and Lifestyle Modification: NHANES 2017-2020. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 2025 Jan 28;:155982762513168502025
Gamble A, Khan T, Hughes A, Guo Y, Vasaitis S, Bidwell J, Christman B, Telehealth Diabetes Prevention Program for Adults With Prediabetes in an Academic Medical Center Setting: Protocol for a Hybrid Type III Trial. JMIR research protocols, 2023 Nov 13;12:e501832023
Gamble A, Beech BM, Wade BC, Sutton VD, Lim C, Sandridge S, Welsch MA, Telehealth Diabetes Prevention Intervention for the Next Generation of African American Youth: Protocol for a Pilot Trial. JMIR research protocols, 2021 Mar 31;10(3):e256992021
Gamble A, Beech BM, Blackshear C, Cranston KL, Herring SJ, Moore JB, Welsch MA, Recruitment planning for clinical trials with a vulnerable perinatal adolescent population using the Clinical Trials Transformative Initiative framework and principles of partner and community engagement. Contemporary clinical trials, 2021 May;104:1063632021
Gamble A, Beech BM, Blackshear C, Herring SJ, Welsch MA, Moore JB, Changes in Physical Activity and Television Viewing From Pre-pregnancy Through Postpartum Among a Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Perinatal Adolescent Population. Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology, 2021 Dec;34(6):832-8382021
Gamble A, Baskin ML, Cranston KL, Herring SJ, Hinton E, Saulters MM, Moore JB, Welsch MA, Beech BM, Effects of eHealth interventions on physical activity and weight among pregnant and postpartum women and the sociodemographic characteristics of study populations: a systematic review protocol. JBI evidence synthesis, 2020 Nov;18(11):2396-24032020
Robinson JC, Lim CS, Hinton E, Pintado I, Gamble A, Compretta C, Ravola M, School-based obesity prevention programs in rural communities: a scoping review protocol. JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, 2019 Jul;17(7):1326-13332019
Chatfield SL, Gamble A, Hallam JS, Men's Preferences for Physical Activity Interventions: An Exploratory Study Using a Factorial Survey Design Created With R Software. American journal of men's health, 2018 Mar;12(2):347-3582018
Buys D, Gamble A, Tomlinson S Volunteers create backpack meals program to reach students at risk of weekend hunger J Hunger Envir Nutrit. 2018;13(1):55-57.2017
Gamble A, Chatfield SL, Cormack ML Jr, Hallam JS, Not Enough Time in the Day: A Qualitative Assessment of In-School Physical Activity Policy as Viewed by Administrators, Teachers, and Students. The Journal of school health, 2017 Jan;87(1):21-282017
Walsh SM, Meyer MR, Gamble A, Patterson MS, Moore JB, A Systematic Review of Rural, Theory-based Physical Activity Interventions. American journal of health behavior, 2017 May 1;41(3):248-2582017
Beech BM, Bruce MA, Gamble A, Brunson C, Jones ML, Academic Health Center-Rural Community Collaborations: 'Healthy Linkages' to Improve the Health of Rural Populations. Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association, 2016 Apr;57(4):118-222016
Kegler MC, Honeycutt S, Davis M, Dauria E, Berg C, Dove C, Gamble A, Hawkins J, Policy, systems, and environmental change in the Mississippi Delta: considerations for evaluation design. Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education, 2015 Apr;42(1 Suppl):57S-66S2015
Short VL, Gamble A, Mendy V, Racial differences in ideal cardiovascular health metrics among Mississippi adults, 2009 Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Preventing chronic disease, 2013 Nov 21;10:E1942013
Gamble A, Waddell D, Ford MA, Bentley JP, Woodyard CD, Hallam JS, Obesity and health risk of children in the Mississippi Delta. The Journal of school health, 2012 Oct;82(10):478-832012
Umstattd Meyer MR, Moore JB, Abildso C, Edwards MB, Gamble A, Baskin ML, Rural Active Living: A Call to Action. Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP, 2016 Sep-Oct;22(5):E11-20
Gamble A, Foreword. Family & community health, 2016 Oct-Dec;39(4):223-4
Gamble A, Saulters MM, Cranston KL, Jones DW, Herring SJ, Beech BM, Recruitment, Retention, and Engagement Strategies for Exercise Interventions With Rural Antenatal Adolescents: Qualitative Interviews With WIC Providers. Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP, 2020 Sep Oct;26(5):497-502
Pitts LE, Kaur IP, Christman BD, Bidwell JH, Khan T, Gamble A, Case Report: Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program in an Academic Medical Center. Clinical diabetes : a publication of the American Diabetes Association, 2025 Spring;43(2):324-327
Goldin Evans M, Wallace M, Bazzano AN, Biggio JR Jr, Cruz K, Gamble A, Green C, Jah Z, Longo S, Perez S, Reed RN, Shaffer JG, Shi L, Harville E, The Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity (SCMHE): a multisector multifaceted community-based approach to reduce disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality in the Gulf South. Frontiers in public health, 2024;12:1465779
Alam S, Nandi U, Scarborough S, McNeill E, Callison K, Shi L, Gamble A, Maternal Health Legislation Enacted in Three Southeastern States in the United States Between 2018-2023: Policy Surveillance. Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association, 2024;65(5-6)

Abstracts

Alam S, McNeill E, Tang M, Rong R, Christman BD, Gamble A, Hillegas WB, Hall JL, Xiong X, Wright L, Shi L Economic evaluation of detection, treatment, and prevention of interventions for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders: a systematic literature review Value Health. 2025:28(6) (Supplement 1);S1132025
Gamble A Implementation of a telehealth lifestyle intervention to prevent diabetes in Black parent-child dyads Telemed e-Health. 2023:29(3)2023
Harris KK, Lim CS, Liu X, Welsch MA, Zhang L, Hillegass WB, Gamble A Prevalence of severe obesity in Mississippi youth Ann Behav Med. 2023; 85(1):S1742023
Buck RJ, Morris-Hill S, Gamble A Mississippi Momnibus: innovative strategies to improve Black maternal health and advance health equity Ann Behav Med. 2023; 85(1):S6442023
Kharbanda V, Alam S, Morris-Hill S, Welsch MA, Gamble A Maternal social support for physical activity in predominantly Black perinatal adolescents Ann Behav Med. 2023; 85(1):S6462023
Sylvester H, Turk P, Anugu A, Blackshear C, Christman B, Welsch MA, Gamble A Telehealth diabetes prevention intervention for the next generation of African American youth pilot trial Am J Med Sci. 365(S1):S404-S4052023
Gamble A, Blackshear C, Lim CS, Sandridge S, Sutton VD, Welsch MA, Beech BM Effectiveness of a telehealth lifestyle intervention on reducing diabetes risk in Black families Obesity. 2022;30(S1):55-293 (p140)2022
Gamble A Recruitment planning for clinical trials with a vulnerable perinatal adolescent population: Experiences from the Teen Mom Study. Ann Behav Med. 2021; 55:S588-S588.2021
Behrman P, Houdeshell-Putt LV, Ford S, Gamble A Planning and recruitment of underrepresented perinatal populations for inclusion in health services research Ann Behav Med. 2021; 55:S586-S5862021
Gamble A Recruitment and retention strategies for research with rural pregnant adolescents Ann Behav Med. 2020;54(suppl 1):S7452020
Mendy VL, Vargas R, El-sadek L, Gamble A Trends in heart disease mortality among Mississippi adults over a three decade period, 1980 through 2013 Circulation. 2016; 133(suppl 1):AP0962016
Mendy V, Short V, Smith L, Gamble A Disparities in multiple risk factors for heart disease and stroke in the Mississippi Delta Amer J Epidemiol. 2012;175(suppl 11):S1052012
Gamble A, Waddell D, Bentley J, Hallam J Policy and environmental predictors of in-school physical activity for elementary school-aged children Obesity. 2011;19(suppl 1):S1272011
Gamble A, Waddell D, Bentley J, Hallam J Policy and environmental predictors of in-school physical activity for elementary school-aged children Obesity2011
Gamble A, Hallam JS, Bentley JP Physical education class characteristics and physical activity of elementary school-aged children in the Mississippi Delta Med Sci Sports Exercise. 2011;43(5)2011

Thesis

Gamble A Differences between Older and Younger Adults on Composite Balance and Selected Health Correlates

Dissertation

Gamble A The Role of Policy and the Built Environment on Children’s In-School Physical Activity in the Mississippi Delta

Book Chapter

Moore JB, Gamble A, Gardner D, Peluso A, Perry D Emerging Policy Landscape Surrounding CSPAPs Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Putting Research into Evidence-based Practice. Ed. Carson RL. Human Kinetics; Webster, CA. 2020. 19 – 30.2020

Historical Article

Erfle SE, Gamble A, Effects of daily physical education on physical fitness and weight status in middle school adolescents. The Journal of school health, 2015 Jan;85(1):27-352015

Presentations

Platform Presentations, Recruitment planning for clinical trials with a vulnerable perinatal adolescent population: experiences from the Teen Mom Study., Society of Behavioral Medicine, Virtual04/2021
Poster Presentation, Recruitment of vulnerable populations underrepresented in health research: Experiences with pregnant and postpartum adolescents and their parents in the Mississippi Delta., Society for Public Health Education, Virtual04/2021
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Giving Childhood Back to our Youth: The Importance of Diabetes Prevention and Treatment among Adolescents., University of Mississippi Medical Center12/2020
Platform Presentations, Beyond the walls of clinical practice: Implications of multigenerational living in the context of poverty and obesity prevention among vulnerable African American families in the Mississippi Delta, National Abstracts Competition for Medical Students Abstract Day, Virtual11/2020
Poster Presentation, A theoretical and multigenerational conceptual model and research framework for obesity prevention among vulnerable populations, American Public Health Association, Virtual11/2020
Poster Presentation, Implications of multigenerational households in the context of poverty on obesity among vulnerable African American families: A theoretical conceptual model and research framework, Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science, Virtual09/2020
State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Engaging Community-Public Health-Academic Partnerships to Create Messaging and Risk Communication for Vulnerable Mississippi Populations in the COVID-19 Pandemic, John D. Bower School of Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Virtual05/2020
Poster Presentation, Recruitment and retention strategies for research with rural pregnant adolescents, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Virtual03/2020
Platform Presentations, Recruitment, retention and engagement strategies for exercise interventions with rural antenatal adolescents, Active Living Research, Orlando, FL02/2020
Platform Presentations, Recruiting pregnant adolescents in an intervention study: perspectives of WIC providers using qualitative interviews, Southeast Regional IDeA Conference, Louisville, KY11/2019
Platform Presentations, Qualitative interviews with WIC providers to probe recruitment, retention, and engagement strategies for exercise interventions with rural antenatal adolescents, 14th Annual UAB Health Disparities Research Symposium, Birmingham, AL04/2019
Poster Presentation, Exploring exercise behavior in pregnant and postpartum adolescents in Mississippi, Mississippi Public Health Association, Jackson, MS10/2018
Poster Presentation, Lessons learned from the “done in a day research mob”: Process evaluation of a brief and rapid community-based participatory research project, American Academy of Health Behavior, Tucson, AZ03/2017
Poster Presentation, Evidence-based physical education programs: a comparison using physical fitness and weight status outcomes among middle school adolescents, American Academy of Health Behavior, Sawgrass, FL02/2016
Roundtable, Lessons from my front porch: social determinants and rural America, Active Living Research, Clearwater Beach, FL02/2016
Poster Presentation, A process evaluation of the Mississippi State Employee Wellness program., Society for Public Health Education, Portland, OR04/2015
Platform Presentations, Rural active living: a call to action, Active Living Research, San Diego, CA02/2015
Poster Presentation, Facilitators and barriers to successful implementation of in-school physical activity policy in the Mississippi Delta, American Public Health Association, New Orleans, LA11/2014
Invited Symposia, Moving Kids Towards Success! School Policies that Support Active, Attentive Students; Dialogue4Health webinar, Diaolgue4Health, Virtual05/2014
Poster Presentation, Barriers and facilitators of implementing in-school physical activity policy in rural communities, American Academy of Health Behavior, Charleston, SC03/2014
Oral Presentation, Informing Mississippi legislators of factors associated with in-school physical activity policy and practices in rural, low-income, predominantly African American school settings, Active Living Research, San Diego, CA03/2014
Poster Presentation, Multiple risk factors and disparities associated with heart disease and stroke among Mississippi Delta women, American Public Health Association, San Francisco, CA10/2012
Platform Presentations, Physical education class characteristics and in-school physical activity opportunity for elementary school-aged children in the Mississippi Delta, Southern Obesity Summit, Charlotte, NC10/2012
Poster Presentation, Delta Alliance for Congregational Health: Identifying at-risk and undiagnosed individuals, Southern Obesity Summit, Charlotte, NC10/2012
Poster Presentation, Engaging community leaders to advocate for health in rural settings: Lessons from the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative, Southern Obesity Summit, Charlotte, NC10/2012
Poster Presentation, Disparities in multiple risk factors for heart disease and stroke in the Mississippi Delta, Society for Epidemiological Research, Minneapolis, MN06/2012
Poster Presentation, Walkability and perceived environmental barriers to walking to school in a rural environment, American Academy of Health Behavior, Austin, TX03/2012
Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, Active Living Research, San Diego, CA03/2012
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Breakout Session: Innovative dissemination methods, Active Living Research Annual Conference Grantee Meeting, San Diego, CA03/2012
Poster Presentation, Built environment and active commuting to school in a rural community., American Public Health Association, Washington, DC11/2011
Poster Presentation, In-school physical activity opportunity and physical activity levels of elementary-school age children in the Mississippi Delta, American Public Health Association, Washington, DC11/2011
Poster Presentation, Best practices to evaluate the impact of school health policy on childhood obesity, American Public Health Association, Washington, DC11/2011
Poster Presentation, Policy and environmental predictors of in-school physical activity among elementary school-aged children, Obesity Society, Orlando, FL10/2011
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Complete Streets in predominantly rural states, Safe Routes to School 3rd Annual National Conference, Minneapolis, MN08/2011
Platform Presentations, Physical education class characteristics and physical activity of elementary school-aged children in the Mississippi Delta, American College of Sports Medicine, Denver, CO06/2011
Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, The University of Mississippi Graduate Student Poster Symposium, University, MS04/2011
Poster Presentation, Differences in behavioral variables among CrossFit and traditional fitness training participants, American Academy of Health Behavior, Hilton Head, SC03/2011
Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, American Academy of Health Behavior, Hilton Head, SC03/2011
Poster Presentation, Examining barriers and facilitators of physical activity for older adults in rural settings: Qualitative findings, The Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, LA11/2010
Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, The Global Obesity Summit, Jackson, MS11/2010
Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, Active Living Research, San Diego, CA02/2010
Poster Presentation, Physical activity research in rural environments, American Academy of Health Behavior, Hilton Head, SC03/2009
Poster Presentation, Differences between older and younger adults on composite balance and selected health correlates, South East American College of Sports Medicine, Birmingham, AL02/2008

Honors, Awards, and Recognition

Faculty Marshal, John D. Bower School of Population Health, Univesity of Mississippi Medical Center2025
Nomination, Mid-Career Faculty Award, Group on Women in Medicine and Science, University of Mississippi Medical Center2025
Gold Medallion, Excellence in Research, Univesrity of Mississippi Medical Center2024
Honorable Mention, Beacon Award, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, University of Mississippi Medical Center2024
Fellow, L.C. Dorsey Research Honor Society2023
Health Policy Fellow, Center for Mississippi Health Policy2022
Exemplar Recruitment Case Study, Clinical Trials Transformative Initiative2021
Excellence in Community Engaged Research, University of Mississippi2019
Young Investigator Award, Society for Pediatric Research2015
Health Disparities Research Training Program Scholar, University of Alabama Birmingham2014
2012 Top 20 Most Influential Research, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation2013
Nominated Young Leader Award, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation2012
Best Poster Award, University of Mississippi2011
Outstanding Student Poster, American Academy of Health Behavior2011
Graduate Research Fellow, University of Mississippi Graduate School2010
Active Living Research Dissertation Award, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation2010

Professional Membership and Service

Association for Clinical and Translational Science, Member2025 - Present
Academy Health, Member2024 - Present
The Obesity Society, Member2020 - Present
Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science, Member2020 - Present
Society for Implementation Research Collaboration, Member2018 - Present
Society of Behavioral Medicine, Member2018 - Present
American Academy of Health Behavior, Member2014 - 2015
Public Health Education & Health Promotion, American Public Health Association, Officer, Other Officer, Scientific Program Planner2012 - 2016
Mississippi Safe Routes to School State Network Program, Officer, Other Officer2010 - 2013
American Red Cross, Member2007 - 2011
American College of Sports Medicine, Member2007 - 2010
Action for Healthy Kids, Member2007
American Public Health Association, Member2005 - 2017

Committee Service

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE-CURRICULUM, Member2021 - Present
SOPH Community Health Needs Assessment - Adult Hospital, Co-Chair2020 - Present
Institutional Accreditation and Quality Enhancement Plan, Representative2020 - Present
American Public Health Association, Secretary2017 - 2018
Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Community Engaged Research Working Group, Member2017 - 2021
MEDICAL CENTER-FACULTY SENATE, Member2017 - 2020
American Academy of Health Behavior, Research Review Chair2016 - 2017
Rural Interdisciplinary Case Exchange (RICE) Bowl, Member2014 - 2014
Interdisciplinary Mississippi Child Health Council, Member2013 - 2015
Pediatric Discovery Council, Member2013 - 2015
Program Planner, Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section, American Public Health Association, Chair2012 - 2016
Student Program Planner, American Academy of Health Behavior, Steering Comittee Member2011 - 2011

Community Service

Word of Life Church, Childcare Volunteer06/2020 - 05/2022
Oxford Safe Routes to School, Volunteer08/2010 - 05/2011
Boys and Girls Club, Oxford, Volunteer03/2010 - 06/2010

Other Service

Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine04/2020 - Present
International Journal for Public Health2019 - Present
American Journal of Public Health2019 - Present
Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program, Team Lead2018 - Present
Journal of Physical Activity and Health2017 - Present
Maternal and Child Health2016 - Present
Family & Community Health, Guest Editor, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention02/2015 - 06/2016
Preventive Medicine05/2014 - Present
Health Education and Behavior04/2014 - Present
Family and Community Health11/2013 - Present
Annals of Behavioral Medicine09/2012 - Present
Journal of Rural Health02/2012 - Present
American Public Health Association, MCHES Credentials Reviewer08/2011 - 08/2011
American Public Health Association, Confernece Session Moderator11/2008 - 11/2011

Teaching Experience

MS733, Graduate, Course, Course Director, Social and Behavioral Science TheorySpring 2020
Medicine, Lecture, Lecturer, Resident Lectureship, Department of Family Medicine and Department of Preventive MedicineSummer 2019
MS733, Graduate, Course, Course Director, Social and Behaivoral Science TheorySpring 2018

Directed Student Learning

Supervised Research, Advised: Lauren Pitts2021 - Present
Supervised Research, Advised: Melanie McDonald2019 - 2019
Supervised Research, Advised: Katherine Cranston2018 - Present
Supervised Research, Advised: Morgan Williams

Fellows supervised

Post-Doc Advisor, 1 fellows supervised03/2025 - Present