Kathryn M. Cardarelli, PhD, MPH

Kathryn Cardarelli headshot

Professor and Dean

SPHIS Administration
Epidemiology and Population Health
485 E. Gray St., Room No. 233 E
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-852-3297 | Fax: 502-852-3291
CURRICULUM VITAE

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Overall, my background and academic experience has included leadership roles at University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC), the University of Kentucky (UK), and currently the University of Louisville (UofL). As a research center director at UNTHSC, I expanded and strengthened relationships between the university and Dallas and Fort Worth community partners, resulting in the development of a thriving community-engaged research program. At UK, I served a number of academic administrative roles including Associate Dean, Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Interim Department Chair in the College of Public Health, during which time I successfully launched the college’s first undergraduate degree program, led the College to a full seven year reaccreditation and reorganized student and academic support units. As Assistant Provost and Senior Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs, I led the use of faculty analytics and other tools to advance tactics for recruitment, retention and progression of women faculty and faculty of color. For 2.5 years, I served as Senior Associate Provost for Administration and Academic Affairs, in which I coordinated all functions in the Office of the Provost, including providing oversight and direction of business, administrative, financial and academic processes that impact our 19 colleges and 109 departments/schools, including 3,000 faculty, as well as several support units. I currently serve as the Dean of the UofL School of Public Health and Information Sciences. 

EDUCATION

2004 Ph.D. (Epidemiology) University of Texas School of Public Health (Houston, TX)        

1999 M.P.H. (Epidemiology) University of North Texas School of Public Health (Fort Worth, TX)

1997 B.A. (Biology) University of Texas (Austin, TX)

Post-Graduate Fellowships

-- 2016-17 Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Fellowship, Drexel University

-- 2014-15 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Academic Leadership Development Program Fellowship

RESEARCH

I have considerable experience in the area of community-based participatory research to address health equity, and my research has been funded by sponsors such as NCI, CDC, NIMHD, the US Department of Agriculture, and the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas. I am currently PI for a USDA award focused on addressing food insecurity and MPI for a NIMHD R01 award focused on addressing COVID-19 vaccination hesitation.

CURRENT GRANTS AND CONTRACTS

Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
Healthcare Workforce Collaborative       
Dates of Project: 09/01/22 – 06/30/24
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (along with R. DiPaola)
Total Costs: $824,100 

R01MD016864  NIH/NIMHD
K-VAC: Kentucky vaccinating Appalachian communities
Dates of Project: 07/15/22 – 3/31/27
Role: Multiple Principal Investigator (along with M. Kivineimi) 30%
Total Costs: $3,118,675

2022-68015-36497 USDA/ National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Laurel HARVEST
Dates of Project: 3/01/22 – 02/28/26
Role: Principal Investigator 8%
Total Costs: $969,720

Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
Kentucky Graduate Profile Academy
Dates of Project: 07/01/21 -06/30/24
Role: Principal Investigator
Total Costs: $25,000

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Cardarelli KM, DeWitt E, Gillespie R, Bandy N, Norman-Burgdolf H. Enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access, nutrition and well-being in rural Appalachia. In press. Int J Environ Res Public Health.

Batey LC, DeWitt E, Brewer D, Cardarelli KM, Norman-Burgdolf H. Exploring food-based cultural practices to address food insecurity in rural Appalachia. Health Ed Behav. 2023;50(4):529-37. [Named 2023 Lawrence W. Green Paper of the Year by Health Education & Behavior]

Norman-Burgdolf H, Gillespie R, DeWitt E, Cardarelli KM, Slone S, Gustafson A. Impact of community-driven interventions on dietary and physical activity outcomes in a rural Appalachian county in Eastern Kentucky, 2019-2022. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1142478.

DeWitt E, Gillespie R, Burgdolf-Norman H, Slone S, Gustafson A, Cardarelli KM. Exploring the relationship between SNAP enrollment and food insecurity in rural Appalachia. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2022.

Cardarelli KM, DeWitt E, Gillespie R, Hogg-Graham R. Norman-Burgdolf H, Mullins JT.Policy implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in rural America: evidence from Appalachian Kentucky. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18:12792.

Norman-Burgdolf H, DeWitt E, Cardarelli KM, Gillespie R, Slone S, Gustafson A. Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among adults in rural Appalachia. Prev Med Rep. 2021;24:101642.

Barr ML, Martin C, Luecking CT, Cardarelli KM. Losses, gains and changes to the food environment in a rural Kentucky county during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients. 2021;13:3929.

Cardarelli KM, Ickes M, Huntington-Moskos L, Wilmhoff C, Larck A, Pinney S, Hahn E. Authentic youth engagement in environmental health research and advocacy. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18:2154.

Cardarelli KM, Westneat S, Dunfee M, May B, Schoenberg N, Browning S. Persistent disparities in smoking among rural Appalachians: evidence from the Mountain Air Project. BMC Public Health. 2021;21:270.

Cardarelli KM, DeWitt E, Gillespie R, Jones N, Burgdolf-Norman H, Mullins J. “We’re, like, the most unhealthy people in the country”: using an equity lens to reduce barriers to healthy food access in rural Appalachia.Prev Chronic Dis. 2020;17:200340.

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