Marybeth Mitcham

Dr. MB (Marybeth) Mitcham is the Director of the Online MPH Program and an Assistant Professor in the department of Global and Community Health. Her research foci include the impact of intergenerational initiatives on combatting loneliness, the relationship between plant-rich diets and health, food security, traditional plant-based medicine, the intersection of climate change and community resilience, and rural health issues including health disparities amongst senior populations, the resilience of rural first responders, factors contributing to isolation among rural residents, and gender identity exploration in rural contexts.

Service

Department Service

• Director, Online MPH Program, Department of Global and Community Health, 2022-present
• Interim Director, Master’s Program, Department of Global and Community Health, 2023
• Member, MPAC (Masters Program Advisory Committee), Department of Global and Community Health, 2022-present
• Public Health Faculty Team (PHFT); CEPH Self-Study, 2023-present
• Working Group Member, Center for Health Equity, College of Public Health, 2022 - present
• GCH 500 College of Public Health Revision Team, College of Public Health, 2023
• Term Faculty Search Committee, Department of Global and Community Health, 2023

Community Service

 

• Lake Luzerne Senior Center - Development and delivery of lectures, workshops, and other learning experiences to support rural seniors’ informed decisions surrounding health-related topics, 2022-present
• BOCES - Development and delivery of interactive workshops and presentations to promote concepts related to best health practice, 2022-present
• Cornell University Cooperative Extension - Instruction and subject-matter expertise for outdoor cooking, nutrition, wildcrafting, food preservation, positive youth development, and food sovereignty education, 2022-present
• BOW (Becoming an Outdoors Woman) - Volunteer instructor (wildcrafting) for outdoor education workshops, 2020-present

Research

Select Publications

Mitcham, MM. Sea Salt as a Food Preservative. In: Saini, R, ed. Science of Sea Salt. 2022.

Mitcham, MM. Hawthorn. In: Wallace, TC, ed. Health Professional's Guide to Dietary Supplements. NY, NY: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2023.

Mitcham, MM. Horehound. In: Wallace, TC, ed. Health Professional's Guide to Dietary Supplements. NY, NY: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2023.

Mitcham, MM. An exploration into public health experiences of rural residents to facilitate understanding of chronic poor health habits: A phenomenological study [Ph.D. dissertation]. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University; 2021.

Mitcham, MM, Wolfe, W, Tidball, M, Bowe, J, Tidball, K. 4-H Outdoor Cooking. Cornell University Cooperative Extension; 2020.

Mitcham, MM. Addressing youth obesity in Warren County, NY, through the provision of nutrition and health education [master’s thesis]. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University; 2016.

Charoenmuang M, Helmholdt A, Mitcham M. Food systems for thought and change. https://4-h.org/about/4-h-at-home/food-systems/. Published October 28, 2021. Accessed November 2, 2021.

Submitted

Mitcham, MM. Combatting loneliness: Intergenerational hikes as an effective means of fostering connectivity amongst rural residents. Submitted to: International Journal of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Science.

Conference Abstracts

Breakout Session Presentation, 2023 Annual Conference for National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI); Making Baked Squash Blossoms: Methods of Effective Rural Public Health Education

Breakout Session Presentation, 2023 Food Justice Summit; Social Seniors on Snowshoes: Supporting Community Health Through Collaboration

Spring Lecture Series, 2023 Southern Adirondack Childcare Network. Annual Conference; Jackwax, Snow Cream, and Smoothies: Making Natural Food Exploration Fun!

Grants

USDA: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Grant, 2021
$15,000 for development and delivery of online learning opportunity: 4-H at Home, Food Systems Exploration (co-PI) USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI - Education and Workforce Development project 2021-67037-33376

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2021
$1,000 for youth educational materials

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2021
$5,000 for Farm to School educational materials

Charles R. Wood Foundation Grant, 2020
$4,000 for COVID-19 related youth food insecurity education and deliverables

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2020
$5,120 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2020
$1,000 COVID-19 related food insecurity equipment

New York State Ag and Markets Farm to School Grant, 2019
$98,432 for 2-year Farm to School Education (co-PI)

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2019
$7,750 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2019
$1,000 for youth nutrition education

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2018
$7,130 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2018
$1,000 for youth nutrition education

NRA Foundation Grant, 2018
$4,000 for youth archery education equipment

New York State Ag and Markets Farm to School Grant, 2017
$93,582 for 2-year Farm to School Education (co-PI)

United Health Care Food Smart Families Grant, 2016
$22,980 for two-year youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2017
$5,240 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2017
$1,000 for youth nutrition education

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2016
$3,110 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Awards

• Best Education Curriculum Package, 4-H Outdoor Cooking, 2020, 2021
  National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) State Award (New York)
• Best Education Curriculum Package, 4-H Outdoor Cooking 2020, 2021
  National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) Region Award (Eastern States District)
• Continued Education Award for Academic and Professional Excellence, 2020
  Fred B Morris Professional Development

Affiliations 

• American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM)
• American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• Virginia Public Health Association (VPHA)
• Virginia Rural Health Association (VRHA)

Degrees

• PhD, Curriculum and Instruction, Liberty University
• MPH, Nutrition, Liberty University
• BS, Biology, SUNY Empire State College
• AAS, Human Development, SUNY Empire State College
• AAS, Science, Mathematics, and Technology, SUNY Empire State College