Contact Information

Dr. Ameena Batada (she/her) joined the UNCA faculty in 2011 and has partnered with NCCHW on multiple community research projects over the years. In 2024, while on leave from the university, she offered contractual support and now holds a part-time role as a Faculty Consultant with NCCHW, working with the WNC Health Policy Initiative (HPI), the Health Policy Research Consortium (HPRC), and the center leadership teams.

Ameena works with partners to improve health and advance health equity through communications, research, and policy advocacy, from individual to national-level efforts. Currently, Ameena teaches place-based health communication and community health transformation courses at UNC Asheville and partners with organizations, community members, and government on community-driven efforts to advance policy change and health equity. She was the co-director of the UNC Asheville - UNC Gillings Master of Public Health program from 2022-24. She has worked at the national level on policy advocacy to reduce junk food marketing and improve healthy food offerings in schools and restaurants with the Center for Science in the Public. Internationally, she led education, research, and outreach to advance childhood education and wellbeing with Sesame Workshop India. In 2018, with community and research partners, Ameena embarked on a three-year Interdisciplinary Research Leaders (IRL) program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), to conduct community-participatory research and action around structural racism and health in Western North Carolina. In 2019, she was recognized with a University of North Carolina system’s Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching. Ameena earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) in maternal and child health with a certificate in international health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in population family health sciences with a concentration in health communication from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Ameena enjoys time with her family, getting outdoors, and illustrating. She thanks the community partners and many more who have contributed directly and indirectly to how she does her work and lives her life.

Education

• DrPH - Population and Family Health Sciences and Health Communication, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health - 2005
• MPH - Maternal and Child Health and International Health, UNC Chapel Hill School of Public Health - 1999

Leadership Positions

• WNC Health Network Board of Directors
• Just Economics Board of Directors

Courses Taught

UNC Asheville:

• HWP 250 Health Parity: Domestic and Global Contexts
• HWP 310 Community Health Promotion: Theory and Practice
• HWP 316/317 Maternal and Child Health/Child & Adolescent Health
• HWP 335 Health Communication
• HWP 459 Senior Seminar in Health and Wellness Promotion
• HWP 373 Global Health
• HON3 73 Mass Media & Health in the USA
• INTS 271 Art & Science of Meditation
• MLA 540 Global Health

Master of Public Health:

• Methods & Measures (Intro to Epidemiology)
• Community Health Transformations
• Place-Based Theory and Practice
• Place-Based Research & Evaluation Methods

Publications

Peer-Reviewed (*Involves Student or Community Partner Co-Authors)

*Batada A., Thomas A.E., Holtz D. (In press). Utilizing a Data-to-Action approach to cultivate policy research and advocacy skills in community-engaged health promotion courses. Pedagogy in Health Promotion.

*Batada A. and Thomas A.E. (2021). Soft drinks and premiums with children's meals marketed on the websites of the top restaurant chains worldwide. Public Health Nutrition. 24(11): 3437-3441. 

Chiang E.S., Rioridan K.M., Himelein M.J., Batada, A., Mulhollem, M.L., Padilla M.A. (2020). Elementary physical education: Cost is personal and social. Archives of Psychology. 4(3):1-13.

*Batada A. and Lewis O. (2018). Community leadership and participation to increase food access and quality: Notes from the field. In Food and Poverty:  Food Insecurity and Food Sovereignty among America’s Poor, eds, L. Hossfeld, B. Kelly, and J Waity. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.

Solomon C., Batada A., Zillante A., Hudak K., Kennedy, A. & Racine E.F. (2018). Food cost is the least of my worries: A qualitative study exploring food and beverage purchasing decisions among parents enrolled in the WIC program. Journal of Hunger and Environment. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2018.1484313

Racine E., Kennedy A., Batada A., Story M. (2017). Foods and beverages available at SNAP-Authorized drugstores in sections of North Carolina. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 49(8): 674-683.

*Batada A., Chichester K., Himelein M.J., and Chess R. (2017). “Learning How to See”: Faculty Members’ Use of Unnamed Contemplative Practices. The Journal of Contemplative Inquiry. 4(1):143-163.

Batada A. (2017). Utilizing Contemplative Practices with Undergraduate Students in a Community-Engaged Course on Health Disparities. Pedagogy in Health Promotion. Online: 1-6.

Wray A. and Batada A. (2017). Contemplative Pedagogy: Equipping Students for Everyday Social Activism. The Arrow. 4(2):29-46.

*Batada A., Grier-McEachin J. and Avery K. (2017). Partnering on the PRAISE Program: Putting Health Equity into Practice. Health Equity. 1(1):7-14.

Racine E., Batada A., and Story M. (2016). Availability of Healthier Food in SNAP-Approved Dollar Stores. Journal of American Nutrition and Dietetics. 116(10):1613-20

Racine E.F., Batada A, Solomon CA, Story M. (2016). Availability of Foods and Beverages in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Authorized Dollar Stores in a Region of North Carolina. Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 116(10):1613-20.

Batada A. and Jacobson M. (2016). Artificial Food Colors in Grocery Store Products Marketed to Children. Clinical Pediatrics. 55(2):1113-1119.

Batada A., Banerjee S. and Subramanian M. (2016). Opening New Doors: Sesame Workshop in India in eds, C. Cole and J. Lee, The Sesame Effect:The Global Impact of the Longest Street in the World. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.

Batada A., Bruening M., Marchlewicz E., Story M., and Wootan M.G. (2012). Poor nutrition on the menu: Children’s meals at America’s top chain restaurants. Childhood Obesity. 8(3): 251-254.

Batada A., Joshi I., Sharma G., and Mehta S. (2010). The Galli Galli Sim Sim story pond: Inspiring children as storytellers in India. Young Children. November.

Batada A., Sharma G. (2010). Developing contextually-appropriate early childhood education materials for rural Jharkhand, India. ARNEC Connections. December.

Batada A. (2010). Making learning fun and making fun educational. Navtika: Journal of Early Childhood Education. August.

Batada A., Seitz M.D., Wootan M.G. and Story M. (2008). Nine out of 10 food advertisements shown during Saturday morning children's television programming are for foods high in fat, sodium, or added sugars, or low in nutrients. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 108(4):673-8.

Batada A. and Borzekowski D.L.G. (2008). SNAP! CRACKLE! WHAT? Recognition of cereal advertisements and understanding of commercials' persuasive intent among urban, minority children in the US. Journal of the Children and the Media. 2(1): 19-36.

Batada A. and Wootan M.G. (2007). Nickelodeon markets nutrition-poor foods to children. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 33(1):1-3.

Batada A. and Chandra A. (2006). Urban African American adolescent voices on stress: The Shifting the Lens project. The Prevention Researcher. 13(S): 3-7. Available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2006/apr/05_0174.htm

Chandra, A. and Batada A. (2006) Exploring stress and coping among urban African American adolescents: The Shifting the Lens study. Preventing Chronic Disease. 3(2):1-10. Available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2006/apr/05_0174.htm

Community Reports, Guides, and Other Publications (many of which included significant work by UNCA students/classes)

Batada A., Ross K, and Jones, J. (2020). “More Hours, More Money, More Respect”. Report to the Family Friendly Affordable Buncombe Coalition. Asheville, NC

Batada A. & Ross K. (2015-2019). Annual PRAISE Report. Asheville, NC.

Batada A. (2016-2019). Report on Bounty & Soul Client Survey. Asheville, NC.

Batada A., Dickhaus G, Holtz D. (2018). 12 Baskets Café Interview Study Report. Asheville, NC.

Batada A. (2017). Report on Homeless Survey for the Homeless Initiative Action Committee (HIAC) Strategy to End Homelessness. Asheville, NC.

Batada, A. (2016). Report on the Rider, Employer, and Caseworker Support for Extended Bus Service to Just Economics. Asheville, NC.

Batada A. (2014). Exploring Food: A Community-Based and Collaborative Project to Learn About Perceptions of Healthy Eating Among Food Decision-Makers in Communities of Lower Wealth in Western North Carolina: Final Report to the Community Transformation Grant Project. Asheville, NC.

Batada A. and Wootan MG. (2013). Obesity on the menu II: Nutritional quality of children’s meals at America’s top restaurants.

Batada A. and Wootan MG. (2009). Better-For-Who? Revisiting company promises on food marketing to children. Available at: URL: http://cspinet.org/new/200911241.html

Wootan MG, Batada A., and Marchlewicz E. (2008). Obesity on the menu: Nutritional quality of children’s meals at America’s top restaurants.

Batada A. and Wootan MG. (2008). Food and beverage marketing survey: Montgomery County Public Schools.

Batada A. Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) Video Project: Video and workshop booklet. (2003). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Center for Adolescent Health.

Chandra A and Batada A. (2004). Who’s holding the camera? Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Center for Adolescent Health.

Confronting teen stress: Up to the challenge in Baltimore City. (2004). A. Batada and A. Chandra, Eds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Center for Adolescent Health.