Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, PhD, RDN

Professor
E-mail: pohrivac@asu.edu

Robin DeWeese, PhD, RDN

Assistant Teaching Professor

E-mail: rsdewees@asu.edu

Emily Melnick, MPH, PhD

Post Doctoral Fellow
E-mail: emily.melnick@asu.edu

Shreya Raval, MS

Doctoral Student: Exercise and Nutritional Sciences
E-mail: sraval10@asu.edu

Cong (Tony) Wang

Medical Student: University of Arizona, College of Medicine – Phoenix
E-mail: crw5@arizona.edu

Francesco Acciai, PhD

Data Scientist
E-mail: facciai@asu.edu

Sarah Martinelli, MS, RD, SNS

Clinical Associate Professor
E-mail: sarah.martinelli@asu.edu

Tatum Dykstra

Graduate Student: Nutritional Science
E-mail: tndykstr@asu.edu

Theresa Bui

Medical Student: University of Arizona, College of Medicine – Phoenix
E-mail: theresabui@arizona.edu

Past Team Members



Postdoctoral Fellows


Robin DeWeese, PhD, RDN Current Position: Assistant Teaching Professor, College of Health Solutions, ASU

Emily Melnick, PhD Current Position: Research Analyst – Postdoc, College of Health Solutions, ASU

Francesco Acciai, PhD Current Position: Data Scientist, College of Health Solutions, ASU


Doctoral Students


Robin DeWeese, PhD, RDN (2015) Current Position: Assistant Teaching Professor, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ PhD Dissertation: Designing a short-form survey instrument to evaluate the healthfulness of corner stores

Cori Lorts, PhD, RD (2017) Current Position: Assistant Professor, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ PhD Dissertation: The community food environment’s influence on dietary behaviors

Jessie Gruner, PhD, RD (2017) Current Position: Director of Community Innovations, Pinnacle Prevention, Phoenix, AZ PhD Dissertation: Finding Winnable Strategies to Expand the Reach of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Beyond School Settings


Masters Students

Andrea Berry, MS, RD (2012) MS Thesis: Determinants of the home food environment

Alan Brown, MS, RD (2013) Current Position: Arizona WIC, AZ Department of Health MS Thesis: Association between self-perception of health and diet, and awareness and use of calorie menu labeling.

Sarah Martinelli, MS, RD (2013) Current Position: Clinical Associate Professor, College of Health Solutions, ASU, Phoenix, AZ MS Thesis: The association between the moral foundations theory, ethical concern and fast food consumption.

Elizabeth Dachenhaus, MS (2015) Current Position: PAC, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio MS Thesis: Associations between Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and students’ home food environment and family food shopping practices: A student’s perspective.

Nicole Vaudrin, MS, RD (2017) Current Position: WIC Supervisor, Native Health, Phoenix, AZ Project: Impact of the 2010 US Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act: A longitudinal analysis of school breakfast and lunch participation rates between 2008-2015.

Marina Acosta, MS (2018) Current Position: University of Arizona Extension, Phoenix AZ MS Thesis: The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program’s influence on the home food environment and shopping practices.

Clinton Stevens, MS, RD (2021) MS Thesis: WIC Community Spill-Over: Access to WIC-authorized Stores and Child Consumption Behaviors.

Adam Thompson, MS (2021) MS Thesis: Farm to School Prevalence: Do school characteristics matter?

Tatum Dykstra, MS (2024) MS Thesis: Association between Community Eligibility Provision and student weight outcomes: A Longitudinal Analysis
Jessie Green, MS, RD (2013) Current Position: Director of Community Innovations, Pinnacle Prevention, Phoenix, AZ MS Thesis: Association between demographic characteristics and fast food menu labeling use and awareness in a Southwest population of adults

Xuang Tang, PhD (2013) Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Tennessee-Health Science Center College of Medicine, Memphis, TN MS Thesis: Food Environment around Schools and Students’ Weight Status: A Study of Four New Jersey Low-Income Communities

Wendy Bader, MS, RD (2013) MS Thesis: Factors Associated with the Accuracy of Parental Perception of their Child’s Body Weight Status: The New Jersey Childhood Obesity Study

Kristi Mollner, MS, RD (2015) Current Position: Maricopa County Department of Health MS Thesis: Associations between Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and students’ home food environment and family food shopping practices: A parent’s perspective.

Stephanie Steeves, MS, RD (2018) MS Thesis: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Spillover Effect: Do Siblings Reap the Benefits?

Jessica Eliason, MS (2019) Current Position: Research Assistant, College of Health Solutions, ASU MS Thesis: How Well Do Parents Assess Their Children’s Diet? Results from the New Jersey Child Health Study.

Naomi Reyes, MS (2021) MS Thesis: A Longitudinal Analysis of School Garden Prevalence.

Sarah Uehara, MS (2023) MS Thesis: Examining Associations Between Participation In the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Dietary Behaviors: A Longitudinal Analysis