Rebecca Hagedorn-Hatfield

Dr. Rebecca Hagedorn-Hatfield is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Health, and Human Performance at Meredith College. Her work focuses on addressing food insecurity among college students and improving health outcomes for marginalized populations, particularly in Appalachia. Prior to joining Meredith, she served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at West Virginia University, managing USDA-funded research on chronic disease prevention and conducting bariatric dietetic consultations.

Her research interests include the impact of nutrition policies, mixed-methods approaches, and community-based participatory research. She collaborates with Dr. Lanae Hood on the WISH4Campus initiative to tackle college food insecurity through multi-state research. Dr. Hagedorn actively contributes to professional organizations like SNEB, where she chairs the College Food Insecurity Subcommittee and serves on policy advisory committees.

Her publications analyze food insecurity's effects on student mental health, academic performance, and coping strategies, with a focus on pandemic impacts and policy interventions. She emphasizes institutional responsibility in addressing basic needs and advocates for evidence-based programs to reduce disparities. Dr. Hagedorn also reviews manuscripts for eight nutrition journals and has led USDA-funded studies on Appalachian health and SNAP program efficacy.

Professional service includes roles as a peer reviewer, committee member, and contributor to policy frameworks. Her work bridges academic research with actionable solutions for food security and health equity in higher education.