Biography
Dr. Olivia M. Thompson is a nutritional scientist whose career spans more than two decades across academic, governmental, and private‑sector settings. She holds an MPH in Behavioral Sciences and Health Education from Emory University and a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Washington. She is board‑certified in public health (CPH) and a licensed, registered dietitian with clinical experience in both acute‑care and outpatient settings. Dr. Thompson’s work sits at the intersection of nutrition policy, social and behavioral sciences, and epidemiology, where she has built a nationally recognized portfolio focused on improving nutrition and health outcomes at population levels. She completed competitive research fellowships at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), contributing to national efforts to strengthen evidence‑based nutrition policy and chronic disease prevention strategies. Her research emphasizes systems‑level interventions designed to improve food environments, reduce nutrition inequities, and shift dietary behaviors at scale. With more than 50 peer‑reviewed publications, Dr. Thompson’s scholarship and leadership continue to shape national dialogue on evidence‑based nutrition policy, chronic disease prevention, and the design of healthier food environments.
Areas of Specialty
- Nutrition and Health Policy
- Nutrition and Food Systems Sciences
- Community Economic Development
- Public Health Program and Policy Development, Implementation, and Evaluation
Education
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Health Promotion Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD (2009)
Ph.D. Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (2007)
Graduate Fellowship, Nutrition Branch, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA (2002)
M.P.H. Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (2001)
B.S. Major in Psychology and Minor in Biology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences and School of Sciences and Mathematics, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC (1999)
Certifications
Certified in Public Health (C.P.H.), National Board of Public Health Examiners, ID 17961
Registered Dietitian (R.D.), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, ID 86373335
Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (L.D.N.), NM Regulation and Licensing Department, ID
NDP-2026-0142
Achievements & Awards
Extramural Funding Awards
Pending
- The Garden-Based Education Project, Sponsor: The United States Department of Agriculture, Role: PI (20% of Time Funded), Pending Funds: $500,000 (2026-2029)
Funded
- Sustainable Food Systems Curriculum Development Grant, Sponsor: The Boeing Company, Role: PI, Amount Funded: $250,000 (2018-2020)
- State-Wide, Farm-to-School Program Development, Implementation and Evaluation Initiative, Sponsor: The Boeing Company, Role: PI, Amount Funded: $1,770,000 (2011-2019)
- 7-County Summer Feeding Program Needs Assessment, Sponsor: ConAgra Foods Foundation, Role: External Evaluator, Amount Funded: $61,000 (2015-2016)
- Tobacco-Free Campus Policy Development and Implementation Initiative, Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Role: Site PI, Amount Funded: $81,550 (2012-2013)
- Nutrition Assistance in Farmers Markets: Understanding Current Operations Study, Sponsor: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Role: Manager of Survey Operations (Consultant), Amount Funded: $1,800,000 (2010-2011)
- Understanding the Intersection between Childhood Obesity and Childhood Hunger Study, Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH), Role: Epidemiologist (Consultant), Amount Funded: $180,000 (2009-2011)
Training Grant Awards
- NIH Biobehavioral Cancer Prevention and Control Training Grant, Epidemiology Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA (2005-2007)
- Global Field Experience Training Grant, Hawaii State Department of Health, Honolulu, HI (2000)
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) Summer Research Experience in Behavioral Neuroscience Grant, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (1998)
Key Publications
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/olivia.thompson.2/bibliography/public/
Courses Taught
Undergraduate
- Introduction to Public/Population Health
- Global Health
- Epidemiology
- Introduction to Human Nutrition/Principles of Nutrition
- Public Health Capstone Course
Graduate or Professional
- Public Health Nutrition
- Advanced Applied Human Nutrition (Part I)
- Advanced Applied Human Nutrition (Part II)
- Theory in Health Education and Behavior
- Sustainable Farming/Food Systems
- Sustainable Food Production/Food Systems
- Dietetic Internship Preceptor
- Health Policy, Politics, and Social Equity
- Healthcare and Public Health Management