Webb Hooper Appointed NIMHD Deputy Director
Dr. Monica Webb Hooper has been selected as deputy director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Set to begin her appointment on Mar. 15, she joins NIMHD as the institute celebrates its 10th anniversary.
“I cannot express in words my elation to have the opportunity to work closely with [NIMHD director] Dr. [Eliseo] Pérez-Stable and his leadership team to contribute to NIMHD’s mission and vision,” said Webb Hooper. “I am deeply committed to the study of minority health and to the ultimate elimination of health disparities. It will be a great privilege to serve NIMHD as the deputy director and to be a part of the NIH community.”
Webb Hooper is a leader in minority health and cancer-related health disparities research. Her work spans multiple disparity populations, including African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, persons of less socioeconomic privilege and people living with HIV/AIDS. She comes to NIH from the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, where she was professor of oncology, family medicine and community health, and psychological sciences. She also served as associate director for cancer disparities research and director of the Office of Cancer Disparities Research at the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center.
As a licensed clinical health psychologist, she led an active research lab focused on chronic disease prevention, health behavior change, tobacco use, weight management and obesity, stress processes, biobehavioral interventions and social determinants of health.
Notably, Webb Hooper’s group was the first to conduct a randomized intervention study of tobacco use in African Americans that effectively delineated a method to create culturally specific interventions with demonstrated long-term success. Her work highlights the importance of moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches, particularly for behavioral interventions involving health disparity populations.
The recipient of numerous NIH and foundation grants, Webb Hooper also has won several honors and awards for her work, including international recognition from the Society of Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.
A native of Miami, Webb Hooper has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Miami, her Ph.D. in clinical health psychology from the University of South Florida and completed an internship in medical psychology at the University of Florida Health Sciences Center.