Stephanie B. Wheeler

Dr. Stephanie B. Wheeler is the Michael S. O’Malley Distinguished Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. She serves as Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and a Research Fellow at the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Her research focuses on cancer care delivery, health disparities, and systems science, with expertise in economic evaluation, simulation modeling, and large dataset analysis.

Education:

• BA (Honors) in Theatre, College of Charleston, 2003
• BS (Honors) in Biology, College of Charleston, 2003
• MPH in Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, 2007
• PhD in Health Policy and Management, UNC-CH, 2010

Research Interests: Dr. Wheeler’s work addresses healthcare access, quality, value, and equity, particularly in cancer care. She uses methods like comparative effectiveness research, systems modeling, and 'big data' analytics to study cancer screening implementation, financial toxicity, and health policy interventions. Her projects are funded by NCI, the American Cancer Society, and CDC.

Key Leadership Roles:

• Director of the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, UNC Lineberger
• PI of the CDC-funded Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network Coordinating Center
• Co-Director of the NCI-funded T32 Cancer Care Quality Training Program
• Associate Editor, Journal of Clinical Oncology

Awards:

• 2017 Hettleman Prize for Scholarly and Artistic Achievement
• 2017 ASPPH Early Career Award

Grants & Projects: Leads/co-leads studies on colorectal cancer screening, financial navigation interventions, HPV vaccine communication, and cancer care quality surveillance. Her work emphasizes reducing disparities in rural and urban settings through evidence-based strategies.

Labs & Teams: Active in the Gillings Innovation Labs and part of the Lineberger Equity Council, focusing on community-engaged research and policy translation.