Dawn Contreras

Dawn Contreras is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University and serves as Director of Michigan State University Extension's Health and Nutrition Institute within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Her work centers on community-based health and nutrition interventions, particularly for rural and low-income populations including preschoolers and families.

Her research spans family dynamics, nutrition education, obesity prevention, and rural health systems. Key focus areas include co-parenting in diverse families, sleep hygiene education, food access barriers, and family meal interventions. She develops community-engaged solutions targeting vulnerable groups through rigorous program evaluation and implementation science.

Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals consistent emphasis on scalable community health interventions, with dominant themes in sleep education efficacy across delivery platforms, rural food system resilience, and obesity prevention through family meal support. Her work demonstrates methodological rigor using randomized trials and mixed-methods approaches to address health disparities.

No scientific awards were explicitly mentioned in available sources.

Dr. Contreras secures significant funding for community-based research including NIH and USDA grants. As Institute Director, she leads initiatives connecting university expertise with community needs, notably opioid crisis response programs and post-pandemic chronic disease management frameworks that integrate primary care with Extension resources.

She directs the Health and Nutrition Institute which mobilizes community coalitions to improve food access, promote physical activity, and implement evidence-based programs like Eat Smart, Live Strong. The institute partners with rural communities across Michigan to develop ecological approaches addressing childhood obesity and food insecurity through policy, systems, and environmental change strategies.