Staff: Erin Hennessy, PhD, MPH
Erin Hennessy, PhD, MPH
Erin Hennessy, PhD, MPH is a Senior Behavioral Scientist at Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc, working in support to the Health Behaviors Research Branch (HBRB) in the Behavioral Research Program (BRP) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). She leads multiple research activities including the implementation and dissemination of the NCI's Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating Study (FLASHE). She also provides content and technical policy expertise for NCIâÂÂs Classification of Laws Associated with School Students (C.L.A.S.S.), a public-use resource of state-level codified laws for physical education (PE) and nutrition in schools. Dr. Hennessy leads several systems modeling activities including the design and delivery of short-courses in complex systems modeling, application of a systems approach to energy balance and dietary patterns research, and a case study of statistical and computational modeling approaches using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health.
Dr. Hennessy was a former recipient of the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Award, completing her postdoctoral training at NCI in 2014. In this role she received several NIH merit awards for her research and leadership. She was a former New Balance Fellow at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, overseeing multiple federal- and NGO-funded research projects on childhood obesity prevention and rural active living. She also worked at Stonyfield Farm, an organic yogurt company, overseeing the design and implementation of the Menu for Change Program to get healthier foods into schools nationwide.
Dr. Hennessy holds a doctoral degree in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition and a master of Nutrition Communication degree from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, a master of Public Health degree from Tufts University School of Medicine, and a bachelors of Science degree in Biology and certificate in Community Health from Tufts University.
Current and/or past BRP mentors include Linda Nebeling.
Research Areas
- Nutrition, physical activity, energy balance, and obesity
- contextual influences on health behaviors
- family dynamics and parent-child relationships
- community-based behavior change interventions
- food policy
- systems science and modeling
Selected Publications and Presentations
- Hennessy E, Oh A, Agurs-Collins T, Chriqui JF, Mâsse LC, Moser RP, Perna F. State-level school competitive food and beverage laws are associated with children's weight status. J Phys Act Health 2014 Aug 7:609-616.
- Oh AY, Hennessy E, McSpadden KE, Perna FM. Contextual influences on weight status among Impoverished adolescents: Neighborhood amenities for physical activity and state laws for Physical Education Time requirements. J Phys Act Health 2015 Jun; 12(6):875-8.
- Patrick HA, Hennessy E, McSpadden K, and Oh A Parenting styles and practices in children's obesogenic behaviors: Scientific gaps and future research directions. Childhood Obesity 2013 9; S1:S73-S86.
- Tovar A, Hennessy E, Must A, Hughes SO, Gute DM, Sliwa S, Boulos RJ, Kuross Vikre E, Luongo Kamins C, Tofuri K, Pirie A, Economos CD Feeding styles and evening family meals among recent immigrants. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2013 Jun 26; 10(84).
- Powers TG, Sleddens EFC, Berge J, Connell L, Govig B, Hennessy E, Ligget L, Mallan K, Santa Maria D, Odoms-Young A, and St. George SM Contemporary research on parenting: Conceptual, methodological, and translational issues. Childhood Obesity 2013 9:S87-S94.
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