African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network
Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
8th Floor Blockley Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone:
Fax:

AACORN | African American Collaborative Obesity Network

Class of 2010 Affiliates

Academic Researchers

Community-Based
Research Partners


Academic Researchers

Olivia Affuso, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Representative publications:

  • Casazza K, Thomas O, Dulin-Keita A, Fernandez JR. Genetic admixture, but not race/ethnicity, influence bone mineral content in peripubertal children. Journal of Bone Mineral Metabolism. Jan 20, 2010.
  • Dulin-Keita A, Casazza K, Thomas O, and Fernandez JR 2009. Neighborhood level disadvantage is associated with reduced dietary quality in children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Sept; 109:1612-1616. PMCID2760324.
  • Dulin Keita A, Casazza K, Thomas O, Fernandez JR. 2009. Neighborhood perceptions affect dietary quality. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (In press).



Sofiya Alhassan, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology
University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Representative publications:

  • Alhassan S & Robinson, TN. Defining accelerometer thresholds for physical activity in girls using ROC analysis. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2010: 7(1): 45-53.
  • Alhassan S & Robinson TN. Associations between objectively measured physical activity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in African-American girls. Ethnicity & Disease, 2008 Autumn; 18(4):421-426.
  • Sirard JR, Alhassan S, Spencer TR., & Robinson TN. Changes in physical activity from walking to school. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2008, 40 (5): 324-326.


Osei Appiah, PhD
Associate Professor of Communication
The Ohio State University

Representative publications:

  • Elias T, Appiah O. A tale of two social contexts: Race-specific testimonials on commercial web sites and their effects on numeric majority and numeric minority consumer attitudes. Journal of Advertising Research. (In press).
  • Hoplamzian GJ, Appiah O. Viewer responses to character race and social status in advertising: Blacks see color, Whites see class. Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising. (In press).
  • Appiah O, Liu Y. Effectively reaching the model minority: Ethnic differences in responding to culturally embedded targeted- and non-targeted advertisements. Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, 2009, 31(1): 27-41.



Jameta Barlow, MPH
Doctoral Student, Psychology in the Public Interest Program, Department of Psychology
North Carolina State University

Representative publications:

  • Satia JA, Barlow J, Armstrong-Brown J, Watters JL.Qualitative study to explore prospect theory and message framing and diet and cancer prevention-related issues among African American adolescents. Cancer Nursing. 2010 Mar-Apr;33(2):102-9.
  • Allicock M, Campbell MK, Valle CG, Barlow JN, Carr C, Meier A, Gizlice Z. Evaluating the implementation of peer counseling in a church-based dietary intervention for African Americans. Patient Education Counseling. 2009 Dec 29. [Epub ahead of print]



Bryan Batch, MD
Medical Instructor, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Nutrition
Duke University Medical Center

Representative publications:

  • Rocha-Goldberg M, Corsino L, Batch BC, Voils CI, Thorpe CT, Bosworth HB, Svetkey LP. Hypertension Improvement Project (HIP) Latino: results of a pilot study of lifestyle intervention for lowering blood pressure in Latino adults. Ethnicity and Health 2010; April 7: 1-14. PMID:20379894
  • Chen L, Caballero B, Mitchell D, Loria C, Lin P, Champagne CM, Elmer PJ, Ard JD, Batch BC, Anderson C, Appel LJ. Reducing Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Is Associated with Reduced Blood Pressure: A Prospective Study among U.S. Adults. Circulation 2010; 121:2398-406. PMID: 20497980
  • Fillenbaum GG, Kuchibhatla MN, Whitson HE, Batch BC, Svetkey LP, Pieper CF, Kraus WE, Cohen HJ, Blazer DG. Accuracy of Self-reported Height and Weight in a Community-Based Sample of Older African Americans and whites. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2010; Jun 7. PMID: 20530243



Sara Bleich, PhD
Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management and International Health
John Hopkins School of Public Health

Representative publications:

  • Bleich SN, Clark JM, Goodwin SM, Huizinga MM, Weiner JP (2010). "Variation in provider identification of obesity by individual-level and neighborhood-level characteristics among an insured population." Journal of Obesity. 2010.
  • Bleich SN, Pollack KM (2010). "The publics' understanding of calories and their perceptions if calorie labeling: Implications for future legislation." BMC Public Health. Vol. 10. Issue 121.
  • Bleich SN, Pickett-Blakely O, Cooper LA (2010). "Physician Practice Patterns of Obesity Diagnosis and Weight-Related Counseling." Patient Education and Counseling. Epub ahead of print.


Marino Bruce, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Mississippi Medical Center

Representative publications:

  • Bruce MA, Beech BM, Crook,E, Sims M, Wyatt SB, Flessner MF, Taylor HA, Williams DR, Ikizler TA. 2010 "The Relationship between Socioeconomic Position and Chronic Kidney Disease among African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study." American Journal of Kidney Disease. (In press).
  • Fischer MJ, Kimmel PL, Greene T, Gassman J, Wang X, Brooks D, Charleston J, Dowie D, Thornley-Brown D, Cooper LA, Bruce MA, Kusek JW, Norris K, Lash J, and the AASK Study Group. "Depression among African Americans with Chronic Kidney Disease." Kidney International. (In press).
  • Carter-Edwards L, Johnson Jr JH, Whitt-Glover, MC, Goldman M, Bruce MA. 2010. "Health Promotion for the Elderly: Training Black Clergy in Entrepreneurial Spirituality." Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging. (Accepted for publication).


Dana Carthron, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine

Representative publications:

  • Carthron D. Give Me Some Sugar: The Impact of Caregiving Responsibilities on the Diabetic Health of African-American Primary Caregiving Grandmothers. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, (Gerontologic Series), p. 1-8. (2010).
  • Carthron D. A splash of color: increasing diversity among nursing students and faculty. Journal of Best Practices in Healthcare Professions Diversity: Research, Education, and Policy . 2007,1(1):13-23.
  • Oaddams-Carthron D, Coleman E, Stewart C. Interrater reliability of standardized patients. Clinical Excellence for Nurse Practitioners. 2004, .


Tiffany Cox, MPH
Postdoctoral Fellow, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Representative publications:

  • Zunker C, Cox TL, Wingo BC, Knight B, Jefferson WK, & Ard JD. Using formative research to develop a worksite health promotion program for African American women. Women & Health, 48 (2), 2008; 189 - 207.
  • Cox TL, Zunker C, Wingo BC, Thomas DM, Ard JD. Body image and quality of life in a group of African American women. Social Indicators Research, 2010; DOI : 10.1007/s-y.



Nichola Davis, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Representative publications:

  • Davis NJ, Tomuta N, Schechter C, Segal-Isaacson CJ, Stein D, Zonszein J, Wylie-Rosett J, Comparative Study of a One Year Dietary Intervention of a Low-Carbohydrate to a Low-Fat Diet on Weight and Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care 2009;32:1147-1152
  • Davis NJ, Wildman RP, Forbes BF, Schechter CB. Trends and Disparities in Provider Diagnosis of Overweight Analysis of NHANES 1999-2004. Obesity 2009;17:2110-2113
  • Davis NJ, Forbes B, Wylie-Rosett J, Role of Obesity and Lifestyle Interventions in the Prevention and Management of Type 2 Diabetes, Minerva Med. 2009 Jun;100(3):221-8


Nefertiti Durant, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Secondary Appointment Division of Preventive Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Representative publications:

  • Rosenberg D, Sallis JF, Kerr J, Maher J, Norman GJ, Durant N, Harris SK, and Saelens BE. Brief scales to assess physical activity and sedentary equipment in the home. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2010 Jan 31; 7:10.PMID: 20181057
  • Rosenberg D, Ding D, Sallis JF, Kerr J, Norman GJ, Durant, N, Harris SK, & Saelens BE. (2009). Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale for Youth (NEWS-Y): Reliability and relationship with physical activity. Preventive Medicine, doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.07.011.
  • Durant N. Childhood Obesity: Harnessing Technology for Prevention and Treatment. Bariatric Nursing and Surgical Patient Care. September 2009, 4(3): 157-159. doi:10.1089/bar.2009.9971.


Myron Floyd, PhD
Professor and Director of Graduate Programs
Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
North Carolina State University

Representative publications:

  • Floyd MF, Spengler JO, Maddock J, Gobster PH, & Suau L. Park-based physical activity in diverse communities of two U.S. cities: An observational study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34:299-305. (2008).
  • Floyd MF, Crespo CJ, & Sallis JF. Active living in diverse and disadvantaged communities: Stimulating dialogue and policy solutions. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34:271-274. (2008).
  • Floyd MF, Bocarro J, & Thompson TD. Research on race and ethnicity in leisure studies: A review of five major journals. Journal of Leisure Research, 40:1-22. (2008).


Lori Francis, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Biobehavioral Health
The Center for Human Development and Family Research in Diverse Contexts
Penn State University

Representative publications:

  • Fiorito L, Marini M, Francis LA, Birch LL. (2009). Girls' early beverage intake at 5 y predicts adiposity and weight status in childhood and adolescence. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 90, 935-942.
  • Francis LA, Susman EJ.(2009). Self-regulation and weight gain in children from 3 to 12 years. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 163, 297-302.
  • Taverno SE, Rollins BY, & Francis LA. (2010). Generation, language, BMI, and activity patterns in Hispanic children. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 38, 145-153.



Cheryl Giscombé, PhD, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Representative publications:

  • Woods-Giscombé CL, Lobel M. Stress and coping in pregnancy subsequent to miscarriage. Revised manuscript submitted to Research in Nursing and Health. (In press).
  • Woods-Giscombé CL. Superwoman Schema: African American women's views on stress, strength, and health. Qualitative Health Research, 20, 668-683.(2010).


Joan Griffith, MD, MHA, MPH, FAAP
Interim Chair
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, Department of Pediatrics
University of Toledo

Representative publications:

  • King JT, Hall J, Griffith JR, Mullineaux DR, Clasey JL. Comparison of body composition from the Bod Pod S/T. International Journal of Body Composition Research. 2009;7:41-48.
  • Griffith JR, Assessing Childhood Obesity Program in Low-Socioeconomic and Diverse Communities. JNMA.101(5):421-421;2009
  • Griffith JR, Clasey JL, King JT, Gantz S, Kryscio RJ, Bada HS. Role of parents in determining children's physical activity. World J Pediatr 2007;3(4):265-270.



Rebecca Hasson, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Kellogg Health Scholars Program
Department of Family and Community Medicine
Center on Social Disparities in Health
University of California, San Francisco

Representative publications:

  • Hasson RE, Freedson PS, Braun B. Postexercise insulin action in African American women. Journal of the National Medical Association 2006; 98:1832-1839.
  • Hasson RE, Haller J, Pober DM, Staudenmayer J, and Freedson PS. Validity of the Omron HJ-112 pedometer during treadmill walking. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 41(4): 805–809, 2009.
  • Hasson RE, Haller J, Pober DM, Staudenmayer J, and Freedson PS. Response letter to validity and reliability of omron pedometers at slow walking speeds. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 41(9): 1827, 2009.



Jamillah Hoy-Rosas, MPH, RD, CDN, CDE
Graduate Fellow/Teaching Assistant, Department of Nutrition, Food Studies & Public Health
New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education & Human Development

Representative publications:

  • Hoy-Rosas J, Arrecis E and Avila M. Chapter 5: Central American Food Practices. In: Cultural Food Practices: Diabetes Care & Education Practice Group. Cynthia M. Goody & Lorena Drago (Eds.), American Dietetic Association, 2010
  • Hoy-Rosas J. "Iodine & Reproductive Nutrition" article in Spring 2009 issue of the Women's Health Report, a quarterly publication of the Women's Health Dietetic Prectice Group.
  • Hoy-Rosas J. "Dietary Supplements: Research, Regulations & Resources" & "Botanical Dietary Supplements: Focus on Women's Health" articles in Fall 2008 issue of the Women's Health Report, a quarterly publication of the Women's Health Dietetic Practice Group.


Gina Evans Hudnall, PhD
Assistant Professor, Chronic Disease Prevention & Control Research Center
Baylor College of Medicine

Representative publications:

  • Evans GL, Cokley KO. African American women and the academy: Using career mentoring to increase research productivity. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 2008; 2(1):50-57.
  • Struchen MA, Clark AN, Sander AM, Mills MR, Evans G, Kurtz D. Relation of executive functioning and social communication measures to functional outcomes following traumatic brain injury. NeuroRehabilitation, 2008; 23(2):185-98. PMID: 18525140
  • Sander AM, Pappadis MR, Davis LC., Clark AN, Evans G, Struchen MA, Mazzei DM. Relationship of race/ethnicity and income to community integration following traumatic brain injury: Investigation in a non-rehabilitation trauma sample. NeuroRehabilitation, 2009;24(1):15-27. PMID: 19208954


Caree J. Jackson, PhD, RD, LD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Community Track, Kellogg Health Scholars Program
Morgan State University School of Community Health and Policy

Representative publications:

  • Jackson CJ, Mullis RM, and Hughes M. Development of a Theater-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention for Low-Income, Urban African American Adolescents. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action. (Accepted and in press).
  • Caree Jackson and Chandra Jackson. "Podcast Interview Transcript." Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action (2009). Project MUSE. (In press).
  • Jackson CJ, Mullis RM, and Hughes M. The Use of Entertainment Education as a Health Promotion Tool for Urban, African American Adolescents. 2009. (In preparation).


NiCole Keith, PhD
Associate Professor of Physical Education, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis

Representative publications:

  • Clark D, Chrysler L, Perkins A, Keith NR, Willis DR, Abernathy G, Smith F. Screening, referral, and participation in a weight management program implemented in five CHCs. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2010;21(2):617-28
  • Clark DO, Keith N, Chrysler L, Perkins AJ, Willis D. Design and Reach of a Primary Care Weight Management Program. J Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 2008 19:171-179.
  • Armstrong LE, Whittlesey MJ, Casa DJ, Elliott TA, Kavouras, SA, Keith NR, Maresh CM. No effect of 5% hypohydration on running economy of competitive runners at 23 degrees C. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 2006 Oct; Vol 38 (10), pp. 1762-9.


Iman Martin, MPH, MS
Doctoral Candidate
University of Illinois at Chicago

Representative publications:

  • Awuah B, Martin IK, Takyi V, Kleer C, Nsiah-Asare A, Newman, M. Percutaneous Core Needle Biopsy Training Program: Results from the University of Michigan-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Breast Cancer Research Partnership. Annals of Surgical Oncology. (2010, Under Review).
  • Villano JL, Bressler L, Propp JM, Valyi-Nagy T, Martin IK, Dolecek TA, and McCarthy BJ. Descriptive Epidemiology of Selected Olfactory Tumors. Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 31 January 2010.
  • Martin IK, Awuah B, and Newman LA. Guide for Investigators Conducting International Cancer Research Involving Developing Nations. Cancer. 2010 Mar 15;116(6):1396-9.



Lorna Haughton McNeill, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Disparities Research, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Representative publications:

  • Shelton RC, Puleo E, Bennett GG, McNeill LH, Sorensen G, Emmons KM. The association between racial and gender discrimination and body mass index among residents living in lower-income housing. Ethn. Dis. 19(3):251-7, 2009.
  • De Jesus M, Puleo E, Shelton RC, McNeill LH, Emmons KM. Factors Associated with Colorectal Cancer Screening among a Low-Income, Multiethnic, Highly Insured Population: Does Provider's Understanding of the Patient's Social Context Matter? J Urban Health 87(2):236-43, 3/2010. e-Pub 12/2009.
  • Shelton RC, Bennett GG, Puleo E, McNeill LH, Sorensen, GG, Benson, L, Emmons KM. "The Association Between Racial and Gender Discrimination and Body Mass Index Among Residents Living in Lower-income Housing". Ethnicity & Disease. (In press).



Janella Melius, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor, Behavioral Sciences and Social Work
Winston Salem State University

Representative publications:

  • Melius, J. (2009).Historically Black institutions: Exploring Students' Perceptions about its Academic Community and its Impact on their Academic Success." National Association of African American Studies, Monograph Series, 2009
  • Melius, J. (pending publication). Exploring Student Engagement Trends and Its Impact on The Academic Success of Norfolk State University's Undergraduate Students. Edwin Mellen Press.
  • Melius, J. (under review). Examining the Relationship between Undergraduate Students' Characteristics and its Influences on Academic Achievement.."Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment.


Keshia Pollack, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Center for Injury Research and Policy, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center, and the Center for Health Disparities Solutions
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Representative publications:

  • Pollack KM (2009). An Injury Prevention Perspective on the Childhood Obesity Epidemic. Preventing Chronic Disease; 6(3): http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2009/jul/08_0258.htm.
  • Pollack KM, Cheskin L (2007). Obesity and Workplace Traumatic Injury: Does the Science Support the Link? Injury Prevention;13:297-302.


Elizabeth Parks Prout, MD
Attending Physician, Pediatrics & Nutrition
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Representative publications:

  • Kruse CA, Molleston MC, Parks EP, Schiltz PM, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK, Hickey WFA rat glioma model, CNS-1, with invasive characteristics similar to those of Human gliomas comparison to 9I gliosarcoma. Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 22(3): 191-200, 1994
  • Parks EP, Kumanyika S, Moore RH, Wrotniak B, Stettler N. Psychological Stress in Parents and Obesity and Obesity Related Behaviors in Children. (Submitted).


Leah E. Robinson, PhD
Assistant Professor, Motor Behavior Center
Auburn University

Representative publications:

  • Robinson LE, Goodway JD. (2009). Instructional climates in preschool children who are at-risk. Part I: Object control skill development. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 80, 533 – 542.
  • Robinson LE, Rudisil ME, Goodway JD. (2009). Instructional climates in preschool children who are at-risk. Part II: Perceived physical competence. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 80, 543 – 551.
  • Hodge SR, Burden JW, Robinson LE, Bennett R. (2008) Commentary on Stereotypic imaging of African American athletes in sports: Issues and implications. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, 2, 203 – 226.


Whitney Robinson, PhD, MSPH
Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
UNC Gillings School of Public Health

Representative publications:

  • Keyes KM, Utz RL, Robinson WR, Li G. 2010. What is a cohort effect? Comparison of three statistical methods for modeling cohort effects in obesity prevalence in the United States, 1971-2006. Social Science & Medicine 70 (7): 1100-8.
  • Robinson WR, Stevens J, Kaufman JS, Gordon-Larsen P. The role of adolescent behaviors in the female-male disparity in obesity incidence in U.S. Black and White young adults. revised June 9, 2010 Robinson, p.2 Obesity (In press; advance online publication, October 29, 2009 [DOI 10.1038/oby.2009.362]).
  • Robinson WR, Gordon-Larsen P, Kaufman JS, Suchindran CM, Stevens J. 2009. The female-male disparity in obesity prevalence among Black American young adults: contributions of sociodemographic characteristics of the childhood family. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 89(4): 1204-1212.


Laura P. Svetkey, MD
Director of Clinical Research
Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center
Director, Duke Hypertension Center
Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology
Duke University Medical Center

Representative publications:

  • Svetkey LP , Stevens VJ, Brantley PJ, Appel LJ, Hollis JF, Loria CM, Vollmer WM, Gullion CM, Funk K, Smith P, Samuel-Hodge C, Myers V, Lien LF, Laferriere D, Kennedy B, Jerome GJ, Heinith F, Harsha DW, Evans P, Erlinger TP, Dalcin AT, Coughlin J, Charleston J, Champagne CM, Bauck A, Ard JD, Aicher K; Weight Loss Maintenance Collaborative Research Group. 2008. Comparison of strategies for sustaining weight loss: the weight loss maintenance randomized controlled trial. JAMA 299: 1139-1148.
  • Svetkey LP. Management of pre-hypertension. Hypertension. 2005;45:1056-1061.
  • Svetkey LP, Simmons-Morton DG, Proschan MA, Sachs FM, Conlin PR, Harsha D, Moore TJ for the DASH-Sodium Collaborative Research Group. Effect of the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet and reduced sodium intake on blood pressure control. J Clin Hypertension. 2004;6:373-381.


Rachel Johnson Thornton, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
John Hopkins School of Medicine

Representative publications:

  • Odom KL, Roberts LM, Johnson RL, Cooper LA. Exploring Obstacles and Opportunities for Professional Success Among Underrepresented Minority Medical Students. 2007. Academic Medicine. February; 82(2):146-153.
  • Thornton RLJ, Roter D, Powe NR, Cooper LA. Patient-Physician Social Concordance, Medical Visit Communication and Patients' Perceptions of Health Care Quality. (Under revision).


Youfa Wang, MD, PhD, MS
Associate Professor, Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Department of Epidemiology (joint appointment)
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University

Representative publications:

  • Wang Y, Must A. Global burden of childhood obesity. In "The Nation's Nutrition". Ed. Kennedy E and Deckelbaum RJ, The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI)(book chapter) 2007.
  • Wang Y, Kumanyika S. Epidemiology of Obesity in the United States. In "Handbook of Obesity Prevention," Ed. Kumanyika S and Brownson R, Springer (book chapter) 2007.
  • Wang Y. "The Link Between Leisure Time Activities and the Increasing Prevalence of Obesity Among Youth in Developed Countries" in the United Nations 2007 World Youth Report.


Jerome Williams, PhD
Prudential Chair in Business
Research Director, Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
Rutgers University

Representative publications:

  • Fortunato JA, Williams JD. Major League Baseball and African-American Participation: Is Free Television Part of the Solution? Journal of Sports Media, Volume 5, Number 1 (Spring), 79-83 (2010).
  • Lwin M, Stanaland A, Williams, JD. Exporting America: Usage of Symbols in International Advertising Under Conditions of Consumer Ethnocentrism and U.S.-focused Animosity. International Journal of Advertising. (In press).
  • Lwin, May; Stanaland, Andrea; Williams, Jerome D., "American Symbolism in Intercultural Communication: An Animosity/Ethnocentrism Perspective on Intergroup Relations and Consumer Attitudes" Journal of Communication.(In press).


Shannon N. Zenk, PhD, MPH, MS
Assistant Professor, Public Health Nursing, Department of Health Systems Science
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing

Representative publications:

  • Grigsby-Toussaint D, Zenk SN, Odoms-Young A, Ruggerio L, Moise I. 2010. Availability of commonly consumed and culturally specific fruits and vegetables in African-American and Latino neighborhoods. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 110(5), 746-752.
  • Zenk SN, Grigsby-Toussaint D, Curry S, Berbaum M, Schneider L. (2010). Short-term temporal stability in observed retail food characteristics. Journal of Nutrition Educationand Behavior, 42, 26-32.
  • Zenk SN, Schulz AJ, Lachance L, Mentz G, Kannan S, Ridella W, Galea S. (2009). Multilevel correlates of satisfaction with neighborhood availability of fresh fruits and vegetables. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 38, 48-59.


Community Research Partners

Vanessa Briggs, MBA, RD, LDN
Executive Director
Health Promotion Council Southeastern Pennsylvania

Vanessa Briggs, MBA, RD, LDN, Executive Director, manages the overall agency management, strategic planning and development activities for the Health Promotion Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania (HPC), a nonprofit corporation founded in 1981 to implement community-based hypertension education and control programs. Originally part of a national hypertension control effort organized by the National Heart Blood and Lung Institute (NHLBI), HPC took on additional disease prevention concerns and changed its name when NHLBI disease control efforts broadened to include cholesterol and tobacco control. Now HPC has programs in 4 major areas: Chronic Disease Risk Reduction, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Community and Capacity Building, Professional Education and Consulting. Ms. Briggs joined HPC in February 2001, after working 15 years in the healthcare industry, where she held many positions, including Regional Registered Dietitian, Director of Food & Nutrition Services, Deputy Executive Director, and Clinical Nutrition Manager.

Representative publication:

  • Halbert CH, Kumanyika SK, Bowman M, Bellamy SL, Briggs V, et al. Participation Rates and Representativeness of African American recruited to a Health Promotion Program. Health Education Research Advance Access, Published Online October 9, 2009; 0: cyp057v1-cyp057.


Ernestine Delmoor, MPH
President / Principal Investigator
National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer

Ernestine Delmoor is the president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer (NBLIC) and also is the founder of Health Educators for Cultural Diversity (HECD). HECD is a consulting firm whose mission is to provide services for conducting focus groups and needs assessment among African Americans, and development of culturally appropriate health education materials. Additional activities for HECD include development of strategies for improving access to African American communities among academic institutions and delivery of presentations on health education research and program implementation.

Representative publications:

  • Browne R, Vaughn N, Siddiqui N, Brown N, Delmoor E. Community–Academic Partnerships: Lessons Learned From Replicating a Salon-Based Health Education and Promotion Program. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, Volume 3, Issue 3, Fall 2009, pp. 241-248 (Article) DOI: 10.1353/cpr.0.0084


Joni Eisenberg, MPH
Policy Analyst, Obesity Prevention and Reduction
DC Department of Health, Community Health Administration

Joni Eisenberg's primary interest is in the physical activity arena - -specifically creating and implementing policies, initiatives, and social marketing campaigns that will promote and support physical activity within African American communities. Her primary focus is working to create structured and fun opportunities for physical activity in various settings (such as worksites, faith based institutions) so that routine physical activity becomes an easy choice and part of everyday culture. She has been a health producer / host of a Washington, DC community radio station for almost 20 years (Pacifica Radio, WPFW 89.3FM), and she has initiated projects using community radio as a vehicle for promoting physical activity.


Sharon Elliott-Bynum, PhD, RN, BSN, MA
Co-Founder/Clinical Director
CAARE, Inc.

In the mid 1990s, Sharon Elliott-Bynum was working as the director of nursing services for a long-term care facility when she started doing HIV community outreach in Durham public housing. That's when she recognized the need in the community. With her sister, she co-founded CAARE, Inc. to help individuals to figure out how to improve their health and how to navigate the system to get help. Although its primary focus was HIV testing and counseling, CAARE now offers assistance with transitional housing, substance abuse counseling, a community food pantry, a free clinic, gym and personal trainer, and massage. In 2009, it opened the Jeanne Hopkins Lucas Education and Wellness Center, a health disparities clinic which focuses upon the five health disparities at the highest mortality rate in the African American community; specifically, cancer (breast, cervical, colorectal, and prostate),diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and HIV/AIDS.

Representative publication:

Elliott-Bynum S. "Circles of Care: Support Teams for African Americans with Advanced Cancer." Spectacular Magazine, April 2009, 33.


Elmer Freeman, PhD(c), MSW
Executive Director
Center for Community Health Education Research and Service, Inc.

Mr. Elmer Freeman is the Executive Director of the Center for Community Health Education Research and Service, Inc. (CCHERS), and an adjunct assistant professor and Director of Urban Health Programs and Policy for Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University. CCHERS is a network of 15 academic community health centers providing health care access for underserved patients in Boston. Prior to this, Mr. Freeman was Executive Director of the Whittier Street Health Center for 17 years. He is the co-chair of Critical MASS, a multi-organizational, multicultural, multi-community, statewide coalition to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in Massachusetts.

Mr. Freeman is a recognized expert in the implementation of models of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and served as such for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Evidence Report No. 99, Community-Based Participatory Research: Assessing the Evidence, published in July 2004. He has coauthored a journal article on this topic, which was published in the Journal of Urban Health in November 2006. He is also actively involved in the development of CBPR partnerships between academic medical centers and the diverse communities of Boston. He is an advisory board member of the Tufts University Community Research Center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Community Research Network, and he is a cofounder of the Community Health and Academic Medicine Partnership with Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Mr. Freeman is involved nationally with Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, the American Public Health Association, and the National Association of Community Health Centers.

Representative publication:

  • Freeman ER, Brugge D, Bennett-Bradley WM, Levy .JI, and Carrasco E. (2006). "Challenges of Conducting Community-Based Participatory Research in Boston's Neighborhoods to Reduce Disparities in Asthma." Journal of Urban Health, November/December, 4(6) pp. 1013-1021

Rev. William A. Kearney
Minister/Health Advocate
Bill Kearney & Company LLC

Rev. William Kearney, founder and director of Hands, Inc., is a minister and health advocate with over 20 years of experience as a Faith and Health Facilitator speaking to church leaders and community professionals regarding the importance of engaging the church in the effort to close the health disparities gap in the African American community. Rev. Kearney, an associate pastor and health ministry coordinator at Coley Springs Missionary Baptist Church, recently formed a committee with church members to consider turning one of the church's fifty acres into a vegetable garden. He then approached researchers at UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) about developing the project because he knew of the Center's interest in the health benefits of sustainable farming. The project will study the garden's impact using a new tool developed by the HPDP team that measures attitudes about grocery shopping, farming, gardening, food production, and fruits and vegetables, as well as cooking skills, history with gardening, and access to fruits and vegetables.


Rev. James Kenady
Lead Community Liaison
The Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago (CLOCC)

CLOCC is a data-driven effort that brings together hundreds of organizations and individuals from every sector of life in Chicago, with the common goal of reducing childhood obesity. As CLOCC's Lead Community Liaison and as Project Manager for Chicago FAITH (Faith-based Advocacy to Improve and Transform Health), Reverend James Kenady works tirelessly to foster and facilitate connections between childhood obesity prevention researchers, public health advocates and practitioners, and children, families, and communities of Chicagoland. He meets regularly with partner organizations, community leaders in the health sector and community based groups to develop and expand partnerships and to promote healthy and active lifestyles for children throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.

© 2007 African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network. All Rights Reserved.