Dana-Marie Thomas
Dr. Thomas is a Scholar-Practitioner with 20+ years of combined experience in health policy, biobehavioral/community health, mixed-methods applied research, human resources management, academic operations, and distance education policy/program management. Dr. Thomas earned a Ph.D. in Public Policy & Administration with an emphasis in Epidemiology & Community Health from Virginia Commonwealth University. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While at UAB, Dr. Thomas was also a Scholar in the Health Disparities Training Program funded by the Morehouse School of Medicine and at UAB, by the Comprehensive Cancer Center; and a Postdoctoral Trainee in the Department of Preventive Medicine. She also earned a Master's in Tourism from Temple University where developed her interests in event design/production; medical tourism; and policy implications for health systems, particularly of destination countries. She is published in peer-reviewed academic journals specializing in public health. She has taught courses in PA and health sciences at the graduate level; and health administration at the undergraduate level. Dr. Thomas examines the interrelationships among individual, social, and environmental factors that shape health behaviors and prevent chronic disease /public policy. Her work focuses on gene-environment interactions in health disparities. She has conducted research/fieldwork on contextual determinants of chronic diseases, gynecologic cancers, taste genetics, and body image in women.
Courses Taught
PPPA 8004 - Foundations for Doctoral Studies
PPPA 8004I - Foundatios for Doctoral Students International
PPPA 8405 - Ethics and Social Justice
RSCH 8300P - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis
MMPA 6240 - Cultural Compentency: Communicatio Skills for a Global Society
MMPA 6200 - Introduction to Public Administration
Education
PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University
MTHM, Temple University
Awards / Honors
Coca-Cola Company Scientific Research Award, , 2009
NASPAA - Pi Alpha Alpha, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005
Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) - Dissertation, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006
Publications
Williams, K. Y., Thomas, D., Johnson, L. N. (2016). The Value of Personal Information.
Johnson, L. N., Thomas, D., Williams, K. Y. (2015). Traditional Teaching and its Effect on Research-Based Teaching: Science via Online Instruction. Science Education
Presentations
Thomas, D. (2009). Higher Dietary Calcium Intake is Associated with Lower Risk for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia in Women Infected with Carcinogenic Human Papilloviruses..