Susan Brown, PhD

Photo of Susan Brown, Ph.D.

Position Title
Associate Professor

  • Department of Internal Medicine
Bio

Dr. Susan Brown is a clinical psychologist and researcher focused on behavior change interventions for diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention, particularly among racially and ethnically diverse women who bear disproportionate burdens of chronic disease. Her research includes developing and rigorously testing novel interventions to promote meaningful patient engagement in (1) life-long healthy eating, physical activity, and weight management behaviors; (2) preventive health services, such as recommended diabetes screening and healthy lifestyle programs; and (3) clinical research, such as strategies to improve the representation of racial and ethnic minorities in randomized clinical trials. Dr. Brown is interested in implementation science and leveraging healthcare delivery systems to best support population health, risk reduction, and health equity.

Dr. Brown is dedicated to supporting emerging scholars and increasing diversity in the research community. She currently serves as Director of the HRSA-funded Quality, Safety, and Comparative Effectiveness Research Training in Primary Care (QSCERT-PC) T32 postdoctoral fellowship program. She is also a mentor in the American Psychological Association's Leadership and Education Advancement Program (LEAP) for Diverse Scholars, sponsored by NIDDK. Prior to joining UC Davis, she was a Research Scientist and founding Assistant Director of the Early Stage Investigator Training Program at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.

At UC Davis Dr. Brown is affiliated with the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research (CHPR), Perinatal Origins of Disparities (POD) Center, and Feminist Research Institute (FRI). She is also an Adjunct Investigator at the Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California; and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine.

Fun Facts about Dr. Brown:

  • Where did you grow up?
  • East Bay (in the San Francisco Bay Area).
  • What drew you to this field?
  • The chance to develop creative approaches that empower women to take good care of their health.
  • Where are you happiest outside of work?
  • Enjoying the outdoors with my family.
  • Is your desk messy or clean?
  • Messy-ish :)