Associate Professor
University of South Florida
Dr. Gray is an Associate Professor and the concentration lead for the Community and Family Health PhD program at the College of Public Health, University of South Florida. Her research focuses on childhood obesity prevention, particularly through nutrition education and community-based nutrition interventions. One of Dr. Gray's recent studies examined the impact of a nutrition education intervention on the eating behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Dr. Gray's team developed and implemented a nutrition education program that addressed the specific challenges faced by children with ASD and their families. In addition to her research on nutrition interventions for individuals with ASD, Dr. Gray has also studied the impact of the food environment on health outcomes. She has conducted community food projects that aim to increase access to healthy foods, such as farmers' markets and community gardens. Her work in this area has contributed to a growing body of research that highlights the importance of promoting food sovereignty as a means of improving health. She is currently leading an NIH-funded, community-derived multilevel-multicomponent nutrition intervention (FRESH-EATS) to improve community health.