The University of Georgia College of Public Health is excited to announce that Charles Easley, associate dean for research, and Sarah Haight, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, have been selected to join the 2026 cohort for the Rural Engagement Workshop for Academic Faculty.
“Dr. Easley and Dr. Haight’s participation represents our college’s strong commitment to advancing health and strengthening partnerships with rural communities across Georgia,” said Marsha Davis, dean of the College of Public Health. “As a land-grant institution, we take seriously our responsibility to engage communities across the state, and each year faculty who participate in this workshop gain skills and perspectives that meaningfully enhance community-engaged research and ensure our work remains grounded in the needs of the people we serve.”
The award-winning interdisciplinary program was launched in 2021 and gives faculty members a deeper understanding of working with rural communities. The goal is to foster collaboration and partnerships with communities throughout Georgia while enhancing rural research opportunities.
“To help mentor our early-stage faculty and to help identify and find resources for all our faculty to conduct community-engaged research, I have needed to immerse myself
in community-engaged research, and this workshop represents the ideal platform to accomplish that,” said Easley, who is also the interim director of the Institute for Disaster Management. “This workshop will make me a better associate dean for research and will grow the impactful research at CPH and address our core mission: to advance the health of all.”
Haight specializes in social, reproductive, and health services epidemiology. Her current work focuses on understanding how social factors at the structural, interpersonal and individual level contribute to inequities in perinatal mental health and access to care.
“Being selected for this workshop series validates the importance of understanding barriers to equitable perinatal mental health, especially in rural Georgia, where access to mental health care is so limited,” said Haight. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from and work with others focused on improving rural health and healthcare.”
The College of Public Health has been represented by other faculty members in previous years, including Renato Ferreira Leitao Azevedo, Andrew Kiselica and George Mois in 2025.
Through this program, cohort members will be able to apply for seed grants. Christina Proctor, clinical associate professor in Health Promotion & Behavior, was a member of the first cohort and was able to
launch research into farmer stress thanks to a seed grant from the program.
This year, the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost will provide up to $70,000 to fund a maximum of ten (10) proposals, ranging from $5,000-$10,000.
The program is coordinated by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, along with the College of Public Health, School of Social Work, and UGA Cooperative Extension in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
By Mackenzie Patterson
