Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Nkechi (Kay-She) Okpara, Ph.D., RDN (The Miriam Hospital, 9/5/23-8/15/25) competed her M.S. in nutrition and food science at Montclair State University and completed her Ph.D. in health promotion, education, and behavior at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health under the mentorship of Dr. Brie Turner-McGrievy. Her research and training focus on weight loss and lifestyle interventions among adults, and self-compassion, nutrition education, and body image among teenage girls. Nkechi joined The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University as a postdoctoral fellow within the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine T32  Program, where she has continued developing her expertise in qualitative research and health behavior intervention under the mentorship of Drs. Elissa Jelalian, Katy Darling, and Jessica Unick.  Passionate about teaching, Nkechi received training through Brown University’s Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL). She is dedicated to bridging academic research with public application through education and storytelling.  Nkechi is immensely grateful for the support, encouragement, and guidance from her mentors and colleagues at the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center. She is excited to begin her next chapter as an Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at California State University, Long Beach, after graduation. She shares this achievement with her family, friends, and mentors, who have been a constant source of support throughout her journey.