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<p>Dear Prevention Science community,</p>
<p>It is my great pleasure to share with you that Heather Leonard
successfully defended her dissertation titled "<i>Longitudinal
associations between early parenting and adolescent allostatic
load: Examining the mediating and moderating role of child delay
of gratification</i>" last week. Her dissertation used the <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/seccyd/overview">NICHD
SECCYD</a> study data to examine longitudinal associations
between parenting behaviors in early childhood and allostatic load
in adolescence, including testing the mediating and moderating
role of childhood delay of gratification. She was guided in this
research by her committee members: Drs. Derek Kosty, Leslie Leve,
Sara Schmitt, Wendy Hadley and myself. <br>
</p>
<p>I first met Heather when she applied to our MEd program in 2017.
A non-traditional student, Heather had been active in research,
teaching, and public health efforts for nearly two decades before
she decided to return to graduate school. As her MEd advisor, I
was so impressed with her passion for prevention-related work,
strong work ethic, and clear sense of purpose that I encouraged
her to apply to the PhD program. She graduated from the MEd
program in 2018, with the promise that she will consider applying
to the PhD program. Later in 2019 I bumped into Doug (Heather's
husband) at a local pizza joint and asked him to nudge Heather to
apply to the PhD program. It worked! Heather applied and got
accepted in the PhD program, starting at the height of the
pandemic in Fall 2020. She has been a fantastic student
collaborator on research projects and a gifted instructor, who
most recently worked as a GE for the Ballmer Institute's inaugural
3-course <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="https://childrensbehavioralhealth.uoregon.edu/graduate-microcredential">graduate
micro-credential</a> in children's behavioral health. Heather
will continue sharing her incredible teaching and research skills
with students in the Prevention Science program in her new role as
career faculty member in the CPHS department starting Fall 2023.
<br>
</p>
<p>Please join me in congratulating Heather on her many
accomplishments!<br>
</p>
<p>Best,<br>
Atika<br>
</p>
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