IOA Staff

Rebecca Hunter, M.Ed.

Senior Scientist

Ms. Hunter is a Senior Scientist at the IOA where she is engaged in the IOA’s healthy aging initiatives. She is also affiliated with the Center for Aging and Health, UNC School of Medicine. An active investigator in the CDC-Healthy Aging Research Network (CDC-HAN) since its inception in 2001, she provides leadership for CDC-HAN initiatives in environmental and policy issues and collaborates on research in brain health and mobility. In addition, she supports dissemination of healthy aging research and programs in North Carolina. At present, she is working with leaders in the UNC School of Nursing to bring an evidence-based intervention for depression to Chatham County and other rural areas of North Carolina.

Ms. Hunter is a founder and steering committee member of the NC Healthy Aging Coalition, the NC Falls Prevention Coalition and the NC Mental Health and Aging Coalition. With a background in mental health and public health, Ms. Hunter has extensive experience in program development, health professions training, and dissemination. She has directed projects funded by HRSA, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Council on Aging and the AARP Andrus Foundation. Ms. Hunter’s primary interests include environmental factors in healthy aging, community capacity building, health literacy and cognitive and emotional health issues.

Ms. Hunter has recently published in The Gerontologist, International Journal of Aging and Human Development, Journal of Aging and Health, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, American Journal of Health Promotion and Ageing and Society.

rebecca_hunter@unc.edu