Kathleen M Lenk

Kathleen M Lenk is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Minnesota, jointly affiliated with the Department of Epidemiology & Community Health and the Cannabis Research Center (CRC). Her work focuses on substance use policy, alcohol enforcement strategies, and community health interventions.

Research Interests:
Lenk's primary expertise centers on alcohol policy implementation, overservice prevention, and law enforcement collaboration. Key areas include:

• Alcohol sales regulation and underage drinking prevention
• Cannabis-alcohol policy interactions
• Place of Last Drink (POLD) initiative efficacy
• Public health approaches to substance abuse
• Community-level intervention strategies

Research Trends:
Her recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate concentrated focus on evaluating alcohol overservice interventions through the POLD framework, examining impacts on crime patterns, staff behaviors, and retail compliance. Studies frequently incorporate law enforcement partnerships and policy analysis across U.S. jurisdictions.

Datasets & Collaborations:
Lenk has co-developed public health datasets on food policy impacts and maintains active research networks focusing on substance use enforcement strategies across multiple U.S. regions.