Dr. Teresa Wagner
Associate Professor, Department of Public Health
Education & Experience:
Currently, I serve not only as the Director of the UNT Health State Certified Community
Health Worker Training Center but also an associate professor. I received my doctorate
in public health from UNT Health Fort Worth in 2015. My doctoral residency was completed
at both the UT Center for Health Communication and the Literacy Coalition of Central
Texas. In 2016, during my doctoral residency, I was hired by the Literacy Coalition
as the Director of Health Literacy and have held positions in health literacy ever
since. I also hold a BS in dietetics from Texas Christian University and an MS in
nutrition from Texas Woman’s University. I joined the UNT Health Department of Public
Health as an assistant professor in 2017 and have since completed the STAR Leadership
Fellowship, the Geriatric Practice Leadership Institute, the AIM AHEAD Leadership
Fellowship, and become an associate professor. My projects in all these programs leveraged
translational research to implement interactive tools to improve health literacy,
patient safety, and public health.
Teaching Areas & Public Health Interests:
My teaching efforts over the years have focused on teaching undergraduate and graduate
courses in nutrition, health literacy and communication. I’ve also developed and direct
the UNT Health State Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Center and my CDC Recognized Health Literacy Lab. In addition, I have mentored multiple
undergraduate and graduate students from across the state in nutrition and health
literacy. My mentoring focus areas have been primarily related to translational projects
using data to develop programs that help people and communities to better access,
understand and use health information while boosting intern research skills and fostering
career development. Successes have yielded the “What About Mom? app”, WebLitLegit and the “Teen Lifestyle Medicine Microcredential.” I’ve received an Excellence in Mentorship Award from the Institute for Health Disparities
and recognition for mentorship from UT Health Science Center San Antonio’s Health
Confianza.
Professional Activities & Awards:
As a registered and licensed dietitian with a doctorate in public health, I also hold
certification in public health, patient safety, lifestyle medicine, clinical health
equity, and health coaching. I am a certified community health worker instructor and
served on the board of the Texas Association of Promotores and Community Health Workers
(TAPCHW) for six years. Throughout my tenure as a health literacy expert, I’ve delivered
numerous programs, speaking engagements, and trainings on health literacy issues.
I have also cofounded the U.S. Health Literacy Association, a national nonprofit focused
on health literacy advocacy. I served six years on the board of the International
Health Literacy Association (IHLA) and am the Vice-President of the U.S. Health Literacy
Association. I’m also a National Academies of Practice Fellow in the Registered Dietitian
Academy, currently serving as Chair. I’m also on the board of the Center for Plain
Language.
As a result of my work, I received the 2018 Texas Health Literacy Hero Award and the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas Christian University. In 2020, I received the U.S. Public Health Service Interprofessional Education Collaborative Award in Community Empowerment. In 2022, I was one of 25 National Institute of Health-selected researchers to study the use of artificial intelligence to abate health disparities. In 2023, I received the UNT Health College of Health Professions Faculty Achievement Award. And in 2024, I received the Texas Distinguished Dietitian Award and Dietitian of the Year Award from the State and National Academies of Nutrition & Dietetics and an IHLA Global Service Award. In 2025, I received the Super Site Supervisor Award from the Department of Public Health and was named a Fellow of Texas Public Health Association. In 2026, I was named a Great Woman of Texas’ Woman of Influence.
Scholarly Interests:
The overarching goal of my work is to advance health literacy locally, statewide,
nationally, and internationally. I view community health workers (CHWs) as the conduit
to health literacy in the community, making workforce development central to this
mission. I have advocated for Texas health literacy legislation, testified before
the legislature, and helped incorporate health literacy into the 2018 Texas State
Health Plan. My research focuses on improving health equity in underserved and rural
communities by improving individual and organizational health literacy to advance
population health.
My program of research develops and evaluates translational interventions, tools, and programs aligned with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2030 definition of health literacy. My current work equips CHWs to deliver health-literate care for older adults, postpartum mothers, and underserved populations while addressing health disparities and structural inequities related to chronic disease, opioid use and misuse, and patient safety. My research has been funded by grants from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, the National Library of Medicine, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the City of Fort Worth, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Sid Richardson Foundation, the U.S. Air Force, and the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Link to Dr. Wagner’s Curriculum Vitae:
Link to Dr. Wagner’s University Profile:
