Personal Statement
Food is meant to nourish us, yet poor diets are now a leading cause of death, and our food system is a major driver of climate change. My research, teaching, and practice focus on how human health is linked to the social and ecological systems in which we live, particularly the food systems that shape what we eat, our access to healthy food, and our risk of chronic disease. Drawing on behavioral science, network science, and systems science, I work with teams of researchers, government agencies, and community partners to understand people's experiences within these complex systems and identify levers for change.
Food systems, programs, and policy. For more than 15 years, I have partnered with Los Angeles County agencies and community organizations to monitor food and nutrition insecurity, understand its drivers, and translate evidence into food programs and policy. I led the development of Food Base LA, a food system data and mapping tool adopted by the LA County Office of Food Systems, and served as a Technical Advisor to the LA County Food Equity Roundtable, helping bring a whole-systems approach to its 10-year action plan.
Social networks and health. My research shows that social networks and health behaviors are closely entwined, which means diet-related disease can't be tackled as an individual problem alone. I design interventions that harness social ties to support healthy eating, activity, and cardio-metabolic health for children, adults, and families.
Teaching and mentoring. I direct UCLA's interdisciplinary Food Studies Graduate Certificate Program and teach courses on food systems and health that emphasize critical thinking, systems thinking, equity, and real-world application. I mentor undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees, who join my research teams and community partnerships as collaborators and co-authors.
Across this work, my goal is to help build food systems and communities that support human health, planetary health, and equity, particularly for people facing the greatest barriers to health and wellbeing.
Professional History
Professor of Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Fielding School of Public Health (U.S.A.), 2026-present
Associate Professor (Research) of Psychology and Spatial Sciences, University of Southern California (U.S.A.), 2024-2026
Director, Food Systems Institute, Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California (U.S.A.), 2023-2026
Director, Research Development, Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (U.S.A.), 2023-2025
Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences with tenure, University of Southern California (U.S.A.), 2021-2023
Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California (U.S.A.), 2014-2021
Associate Behavioral / Social Scientist, RAND Corporation (U.S.A.), 2010-2014
Research Assistant, Flinders University (Australia), 2009-2010
Research Assistant, CSIRO Food & Nutritional Sciences (Australia), 2007-2009
Education
Ph.D. Psychology, University of Adelaide (Australia), 2011.
B. Health Science (Hons), University of Adelaide (Australia), 2006.
B.A. (Psychology, Anthropology), University of Adelaide (Australia), 2004.
Teaching
University of Southern California, Food, Health and Place (SSCI 175)
University of Southern California, Foundations in Health Education and Promotion (PM 501)
Coursera, Systems Science & Obesity