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Sara Morris, MAT, MPH, RD

Robert Wood Johnson Project Coordinator
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch
N.C. Division of Public Health

Sara serves as project coordinator for a research study that is being housed in the PAN Branch. This 3-year research study is a partnership between the PAN Branch and East Carolina University (ECU), funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to evaluate the Eat Smart, Move More Community Grants Program.

As project coordinator, Sara is responsible for managing communication between the PAN Branch, ECU, grant recipients, and study participants. She travels all over the state to coordinate collection of evaluation measures and also provides support and technical assistance to local health departments, the PAN Branch and ECU to implement the data collection and data analysis process. At the completion of the study, Sara will work with the research team to write evaluation summary reports which will be used to improve the ESMM Community Grants Program.

In addition to her project coordinator role, Sara is a member of the Health Promotion Unit at the PAN Branch. In this role, she collaborates with the three Community Development Specialists to improve state level health promotion and to strengthen and support local coalitions.

Prior to joining the PAN Branch, Sara worked as a high school science teacher and assistant cross-country coach, and she has continued to coach since moving into a different career path.

Sara is a North Carolina native. She earned a Bachelor of Art degree in Biology from the UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master of Art in Teaching degree with a Science concentration from Duke University. Most recently, Sara earned a Master of Public Health-Nutrition degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is a Registered Dietitian and is an active member of the American Dietetic Association and the North Carolina Dietetic Association.

Physical activity helps keep Sara sane and level-headed. She is an avid runner, but also enjoys yoga, BodypumpTM class, biking, or just a leisurely walk on a beautiful day. She also has fun coaching, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and supporting the local music scene.