Sarah Pember

Sarah Pember is an Associate Professor in Public/Community Health Education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She holds a PhD in Health Education & Promotion (2017), an MT in Elementary Education (2007), and a BA in English (2006). Her research focuses on social/structural drivers of health, qualitative research, child/adolescent health, and teaching methodologies. She currently teaches courses like First Year Seminar and Methods & Strategies for Health Education.

Key research interests include addressing systemic inequities in public health, analyzing social media’s role in health behaviors, and improving health education pedagogy. Recent work explores racism’s impact on health outcomes and the application of behavioral theories to digital media.

Her publications span journals like Health Promotion Practice and Sex Education, with a focus on topics like graduate student nutrition, sexual violence perception, and CDC health initiatives. She actively presents at conferences such as the Society for Public Health Education Annual Conference.

Professional background includes K-12 teaching, private tutoring, and innovative roles like food entrepreneurship, which she integrates into teaching narratives to emphasize career adaptability. She advises students on health education pathways and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects like JEDI curriculum audits and pandemic mitigation studies.