Stephanie Wheeler

Stephanie Wheeler, PhD, MPH, 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. As a member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement, her research focuses on eliminating health disparities and improving access to care for vulnerable populations, particularly in breast, colorectal, ovarian, cervical cancer care, and reproductive/sexual health.

• PhD and MPH (with Honors) from UNC-Chapel Hill
• Undergraduate: Biology (BS, Magna Cum Laude) and Theatre (BA, Magna Cum Laude) from College of Charleston

Her methodological expertise includes medical decision making, health systems modeling, outcomes measurement, and advanced econometrics. Recent work examines financial toxicity in cancer care, rural healthcare access, HPV vaccine uptake strategies, and LGBTQ+ cancer disparities. She actively contributes to editorial work in JAMA and Journal of Clinical Oncology, advocating for standardized real-world database studies in oncology.

Dr. Wheeler holds numerous scientific awards, including the Jean G. Yates Outstanding Doctoral Student Award and Delta Omega Academic Excellence. Her 2024-2025 articles address topics like home time for leukemia patients, cost trends in renal cell carcinoma therapy, and structural racism in breast cancer treatment delays. She also leads initiatives like the North Carolina Cancer Health Assets and Needs Assessment (CHANA) and participates in the President’s Cancer Panel on technology-enhanced patient navigation.