When Dorine Brand received an invitation to attend and present at the national meeting of the African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network (AACORN) in Philadelphia this past August, she says it put a smile on her face.
Brand recently joined the faculty at the University of Illinois Springfield as an assistant professor of public health. AACORN, formed in 2002 and funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a colloquium of national and international researchers that serves as a catalyst in the implementation of obesity research and interventions.
Brand, who did her doctoral research on Illinois and North Carolina churches being agents of change for health in African-American communities, says she plans to reach out to Springfield leaders and community organizers, especially those in the faith community, to see what programs are in place to help address obesity and weight-related issues.
Brand was featured in Springfield's Own Magazine on November 2, 2012.
Read the article online
