Summary
I joined the School of Public Health faculty in 2008. My role in SPH is primarily undergraduate teaching, but in 2019 I began serving as the Director of Undergraduate Studies for our school and I also serve on a number of School and University committees. I regularly teach CHS 101 (Introduction to Community Health Sciences) and I especially enjoy providing students their first introduction to the field through that course. I also regularly teach CHS 440 (Injury & Violence Prevention) and CHS 339 (Public Health and the Built Environment).
I worked in a variety of sub-fields of public health over my career prior to entering academia. For the past 10 years, the primary focus of my work outside the classroom has been the built environment and active transportation. I have served on numerous committees of the Regional Transportation Commission, I chair the University's Bicycle Working Group, and I have collaborated with faculty in Geography, Environmental Sciences, and Civil Engineering on research, engagement, and policy work related to bicycle/pedestrian facilities and injury prevention. I also have previous experience in the areas of infectious disease, family planning, and chronic disease management.
Certifications & Professional Affiliations
- Certified Health Education Specialist, National Commission on Health Education Credentialing
- Member, American Public Health Association
- Member, Nevada Public Health Association (Vice-President 2007-2008)
Research Interests
- Built environment and health
- Active transportation and green space
- Physical activity, injury prevention, and air quality
Recent Scholarly Activities
- Rahill, K., Oman, R., Fitch, A., & Lu, M. (2020) Environmental factors, exercise behavior, and fitness of U.S. airmen. Health Behavior & Policy Review (In press).
- Hoeper, S., Granner, MG., Fitch, A. (2020) A natural experiment examining park activity before and after renovations: baseline results. Poster presentation at the Nevada Public Health Association Annual Conference (Virtual). Refereed
- Linden, H., Fitch, A., Emerson, A., Hoeper, S. & Granner, MG. (2020) Maybe next time: Perspectives on community from Bike to Work Week non-participants. Health Behavior & Policy Review, 7(2), 110-119.
- Kelley, S., Klenke, C., Fitch, A., Bergrin, N., Hacker, A., Bean, L., Aguilera, M., & Krek, C. (2019) An assessment of bicycle commuting activity using STRAVA and implications for developing Infrastructure. Transportation Research Board (published conference paper & poster presentation). Washington, D.C. (Refereed)
- Linden, H., Fitch, A., Granner, M. & Dobbs, M. (2018) Formative research to inform program development and reduce food insecurity: Findings from Washoe County focus groups. Poster presentation at the Nevada Public Health Association Annual Meeting. Las Vegas, NV. (Refereed)
- Linden, H., Fitch, A., Emerson, A., & Granner, M. (2018) Maybe next time: Perspectives on bicycle commuting from Bike to Work Week non-participants. Poster presentation at the Nevada Public Health Association Annual Meeting. Las Vegas, NV. (Refereed)
- Fitch, A. (2013). Public Transit and Health. Presentation at the Transit Connections Summit, Regional Transportation Commission. Reno, NV. (Invited)
Education
- Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of Texas, Austin