Research
Overview
Dr. Collie-Akers work focuses on creating and examining the impact of cross- or multi-sector partnerships to improve health. Currently, she is leading a Sunflower Foundation initiative aimed at increasing innovation in public health practice through academic and local health department partnerships. In addition, she has extensive experience in research and evaluation examining the extent to which communities bring about change to address health outcomes related to chronic disease and health equity. For 10 years, she served as co-principal investigator for a 10-year+ community-based participatory research partnership addressing health equity among Latinos in Kansas City, Kansas. This included serving as principal investigator for the four-year, CDC-funded Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH 2014-18) initiative. She has conducted considerable research examining the role of community programs, policies, and environmental changes across community sectors in preventing childhood obesity through the National Healthy Communities study and the Missouri Healthy Schools Health Communities Initiative. Dr. Collie-Akers also serves as lead evaluator for the Equity Institute in Birth Outcomes led by CityMatCH.
Research areas of interest: community-based participatory research, health equity, governmental public health, multi-sector collaborations, childhood obesity.
