Sara Naomi Bleich

Sara Bleich, USDA National Summit on Nutrition Security and Healthcare (cropped)

Sara Naomi Bleich is an American public health policy expert and academic. She is a Professor of Public Health Policy at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Bleich's research primarily focuses on obesity prevention and treatment, food insecurity, and racial disparities in health.

Early Life and Education

Bleich was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Columbia University in 2000. She then went on to receive her Ph.D. in Health Policy from Harvard University in 2007, where she specialized in the study of obesity and its impact on public health.

Career

After completing her Ph.D., Bleich joined the faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management. During her tenure at Johns Hopkins, she conducted extensive research on the social determinants of health, particularly focusing on obesity and food policy.

In 2016, Bleich was appointed as a Professor of Public Health Policy at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She also holds a position as the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, where she continues her research on public health policy.

Research and Contributions

Bleich's research has significantly contributed to the understanding of obesity and its related health disparities. She has published numerous articles in leading academic journals on topics such as the impact of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, the effectiveness of weight loss interventions, and the role of food insecurity in obesity.

Her work has been instrumental in shaping public health policies aimed at reducing obesity rates and addressing health disparities among different racial and socioeconomic groups. Bleich has also been involved in various public health initiatives and has served as an advisor to several governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Awards and Honors

Bleich has received several awards and honors for her contributions to public health, including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, commonly known as the "Genius Grant," in recognition of her innovative research and impact on public health policy.

Personal Life

Bleich is married and has two children. She is actively involved in community service and advocacy work, particularly in areas related to health equity and social justice.

Related Pages

• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Harvard Radcliffe Institute
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Obesity
• Food insecurity
• Racial disparities in health