NIMHD appoints Dr. Monica Webb Hooper, a leader in minority health and cancer health disparities research, as Deputy Director
Monica Webb Hooper, Ph.D., has been selected as Deputy Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institutes of Health. She will begin her appointment on March 15.
“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Webb Hooper to the NIMHD family! She will support the leadership in implementing the science visioning recommendations to improve minority health, reduce health disparities and promote health equity,” said NIMHD Director Dr. Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable.
Dr. Webb Hooper joins NIMHD as the institute celebrates its 10th anniversary. She will be part of the leadership and work closely with Dr. Pérez-Stable on all aspects of the Institute. “I cannot express in words my elation to have the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Pérez-Stable and his leadership team to contribute to NIMHD’s mission and vision,” said Dr. Webb Hooper. “I am deeply committed to the study of minority health and to the ultimate elimination of health disparities. It will be a great privilege to serve NIMHD as the deputy director and to be a part of the NIH community.”
Dr. Webb Hooper is a leader in minority health and cancer-related health disparities research. Her work spans multiple populations experiencing health disparities, including African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, persons of less socioeconomic privilege, and people living with HIV/AIDS. She comes to NIH from the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, where she was professor of oncology, family medicine and community health, and psychological sciences. She also served as Associate Director for Cancer Disparities Research and Director of the Office of Cancer Disparities Research at the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a licensed clinical health psychologist, she led an active research lab focused on chronic disease prevention, health behavior change, tobacco use, weight management and obesity, stress processes, biobehavioral interventions, and social determinants of health.
Notably, Dr. Webb Hooper’s group was the first to conduct a randomized intervention study of tobacco use in African Americans that effectively delineated a method to create culturally specific interventions with demonstrated long-term success. Her work highlights the importance of moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches, particularly for behavioral interventions involving populations experiencing health disparities.
Dr. Webb Hooper is the recipient of numerous NIH and foundation grants. She has also received several honors and awards for her work, including international recognition from the Society of Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. A native of Miami, FL, Dr. Webb Hooper has authored more than 80 peer reviewed publications and book chapters. She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Miami, her Ph.D. in clinical health psychology from the University of South Florida, and she completed an internship in medical psychology at the University of Florida Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Webb Hooper looks forward to transitioning to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with her husband and three children.
Q and A with Dr. Monica Webb Hooper, NIMHD Deputy Director
Dr. Webb Hooper shares her perspectives on today’s leading topics in minority health and health disparities through the Q and A below.
What led you to a career in clinical health psychology?
I was drawn to the field of clinical health psychology because I always had a strong appreciation for mind-body relationships and the dual influence of mental health on physical health and vice versa. Clinical health psychology and behavioral medicine provided an opportunity for me to study that intersection and to work with populations that experience, or are at risk for, medical problems – as well as to understand how psychological status might influence health. I found this very exciting.
Would you say this new position is a turning point in your career?
This opportunity exceeds my dreams at this point in my career. This is an amazing step for me and I’m so humbled to serve NIMHD, NIH, and the larger community in this capacity.
What do you hope to accomplish as Deputy Director of NIMHD?
I’m excited about the opportunity to join Dr. Pérez-Stable, the leadership, the staff, and everyone who contributes daily to the mission and vision of NIMHD. I’m deeply committed to ensuring that – as we move into this next decade – the strategic plan of the institute is brought to life, and that I can help have an impact at the national level in the reduction of health disparities across populations that experience them. I’m also looking forward to contributing to an agenda for science that not only identifies disparities, but really moves the needle toward reducing them; eventually the goal, of course, is elimination.
You’ll be relocating from Cleveland to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, what are you most looking forward to seeing or doing here during your leisure time?
I have always been a big fan of the D.C. metro area. My first choice for college was Howard University in part because it’s a fantastic school, but also because I liked the air and energy in the D.C. area. I’m excited to bring my family and have an opportunity to live in a community where there is so much history and culture. I’ve told my kids that they’d get to live near the White House. We love the Smithsonian museums – so the opportunity to visit with my family on the weekends is going to be great!
What are some of the biggest challenges to reaching optimal health for all?
For true optimal health for all populations to be possible, everyone must have the best opportunity for the highest standard of health without distinction for any of the social variables that divide people. To get there, we have to close the gaps, which are the disparities. So, when we succeed in closing those gaps in a way that moves all groups forward and improves health status for all. Doing this will require transformative interventions and practices, as well as opportunity and access to high quality health-promoting services. Equity is not about favoritism, however. It is about correcting social injustices, past and present, to close the gaps and level the playing field. I think it’s attainable, and that is why I do this work. That is why I’m in this field and so passionate about it. I believe we can get there. We just have to stay focused on it.
When you hear the term Next Generation Researcher, what comes to mind?
I think about training the next cadre of prolific scientists who really are invested in improving population health, community health, and global health. I think about the importance of mentorship in creating opportunities for young scientists to develop professionally, to be successful in acquiring grants and publishing articles, and in helping them build their careers in such a way that community benefit can be realized.
This year, NIMHD is celebrating its 10th anniversary as an institute (and 30 years since inception); do you have a special memory or thoughts tied to the Institute or its predecessors?
I remember, as a graduate student, I was invited to a workshop for trainees in the biomedical sciences. Being a part of the group was a turning point. I was one of the younger students there, and I was moved and inspired by what I learned about the commitment to the fields of minority health and health disparities. I had the pleasure of meeting NIMHD’s first director Dr. John Ruffin, and as a graduate student, the experience at the workshop was an inspirational moment for me. I was with other scientists in training, and it showed me what was possible for me and for the community.
Page updated Dec. 24, 2024
