Teresa Wagner

Dr. Teresa Wagner is an Associate Professor in the College of Public Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC), with a joint appointment in the Department of Health Administration and Health Policy. She also serves as Director of the UNTHSC Texas State Certified Community Health Worker Training Center and holds cross-appointments in the College of Nursing and College of Health Professions. Her academic credentials include a Doctorate in Public Health (DPH) from UNTHSC, a Master’s in Nutrition from Texas Woman’s University, and a Bachelor’s in Dietetics from Texas Christian University.

Her research focuses on health literacy, organizational health communication, maternal mortality, and rural health inequities. She has led 15 sponsored projects, including initiatives funded by the NLM, City of Fort Worth, and private entities like Yumlish. Her work emphasizes training community health workers and improving health outcomes through literacy-focused interventions.

Notable awards include the 2024 Texas Distinguished Dietitian Award, 2023 UNTHSC Faculty Achievement Award, and the 2018 Texas Health Literacy Hero Award. She teaches courses on health literacy, patient safety, and nutrition across multiple colleges at UNTHSC.

• Education: DPH (UNTHSC), MS (Texas Woman’s University), BS (Texas Christian University)
• Key Projects: Includes frameworks for health literacy measurement, rural health equity studies, and CHW certification programs.

Her publications span health literacy frameworks, maternal health interventions, and rural health challenges, with recent focus on AI ethics in healthcare and postpartum app usability.