Heather Leonard

Heather Leonard

Heather graduated summa cum laude from Utah State University with an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. While there, she was named valedictorian of the College of Family Life and Scholar of the Year for the College of Agriculture.

Heather is also a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She has worked in public health and education since the beginning of her career and has been a part of research teams at the University of Vermont and the University of South Carolina studying internet-based obesity interventions for the past 18 years. She has also been on the nutrition faculty at Lane Community College for the past eight years.In 2018, Heather earned her MEd in Prevention Science from the University of Oregon and is looking forward to continuing her education as a Ph.D. student in the Prevention Science Program. Her primary research interests are in adolescent health, particularly parental influence on teens’ health. Heather is currently studying the relationship of screen media use and its impact on adolescent sleep habits and other health behaviors. In the future, she plans to expand her focus to include eating behaviors in adolescents. Heather is honored to have been selected as a Raymund Fellow and is excited about the opportunities for interdisciplinary research and professional development the fellowship provides.