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About Alissa
Alissa Leavitt serves as an instructor in the Health Studies program within the Health Science faculty at Portland Community College, where she has dedicated over 12 years to educating future public health leaders. She teaches lower-division transfer courses from a public health perspective, including HE 251: Community and Public Health and HE 264: Food, Health, and Environment. Her teaching emphasizes critical thinking about health systems, nutrition, food systems, community health, and strategies for well-being, incorporating health behavior change theories, experiential learning, self-reflection, and hands-on activities. Leavitt holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Portland State University (2007), a Bachelor’s Degree in Community Health Education from Portland State University (2005), and certification as a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) since 2008. She has completed recent certificates in Teaching Adult Learners and Learning Differences and Neurodiversity.
In addition to her instructional role, Leavitt served as Principal Investigator and Project Director for the BUILD EXITO program and Bridges to Baccalaureate Metro PDX, fostering collaborations between Portland Community College students—particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds—and partners at Oregon Health & Science University and Portland State University School of Public Health to pursue careers in biomedical, public health, and social science research. Her professional background includes experiences at Oregon Health & Science University, the National Cancer Institute, and the Oregon Health Authority, shaping her interests in preventing diseases through interdisciplinary public health efforts. As a first-generation college student and self-identified neurodivergent individual, she advocates for inclusivity as a member of the PCC Committee for an Accessible College Culture. Leavitt has enriched her curriculum through international experiences, leading a faculty-led study abroad program on Food Systems & Public Health in Italy and receiving a 2018 NIEA Mini-grant to incorporate Slow Food movement modules addressing sustainability, nutrition, hunger, and community issues. She also serves as an adjunct instructor at Portland State University.
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