Lucia Leone, PhD

Lucia A. Leone, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior at the University at Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions. She also holds an adjunct faculty position in the Department of Nutrition at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on understanding and addressing health disparities related to cancer and obesity. Dr. Leone has experience in conducting and evaluating community, organizational and environmental-level interventions to increase physical activity, cancer screening and healthy diet. Current research includes measuring the impact and sustainability of a public-private mobile market program for increasing fresh fruit and vegetable consumption in lower-income and underserved communities and collaborating with the YMCA to design and pilot test and exercise program to increase exercise enjoyment among women with obesity. She also works with a group of community stakeholders in Buffalo, NY to identify solutions for increasing access to healthy food with a specific focus on small corner stores. She previously co-founded a nonprofit organization focused on increasing access to healthy, local, affordable food for people of all backgrounds and incomes.