Karyn E Faber

Director of Undergraduate Experiential Learning

Clinical Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Professional overview

Dr. Karyn E. Faber has over 15 years of experience conducting research, teaching, and implementing policy in applied public health.  Her areas of expertise are program planning, implementation, management, and evaluation in varied settings including community-based organizations and philanthropic entities. Dr. Faber earned a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master of Public Health in Sociomedical Sciences from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, and a Doctor of Education from Teachers College Columbia University.

Dr. Faber’s research employs program development and supportive services designed to enhance the quality of life of minority elders living with chronic and/or serious health conditions.  Her framework conceptualizes strengths, resiliency, and coping strategies; examines underlying cognitions that contextualize health behaviors; and investigates the mechanisms and policies that sustain disparities in health.  She has conducted research with grants from the Health Resource and Service Administration Special Projects of National Significance; the National Institute of Mental Health; and the National Cancer Institute to examine the psychological, social and practical issues facing family members of individuals who are chronically and/or seriously ill or dying.

Prior to joining GPH, Dr. Faber was a Research Scientist in the Psychosocial Research Unit on Health, Aging, and the Community at the NYU College of Dentistry, where her expertise in creating and implementing health education programs for at-risk populations was instrumental in crafting a skills-training program for a cancer survivorship initiative.  She also continues to engage in extensive outreach activities with community-based organizations to address health disparities in resource-poor communities, with the goal of assisting community residents with identifying and defining varied and complex reasons for health, social, and economic disparities.

Education

BA, Women's Studies, University of California, Berkeley, CA

MPH, Sociomedical Sciences: Health Promotion/Disease Prevention, Columbia University, New York, NY

EdD, Health Education, Columbia University, New York, NY

Areas of research and study

Aging and the Life Course

Chronic Diseases

Community-based Participatory Research

Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-based Programs

Evaluations

Health Disparities

Implementation and Impact of Public Health Regulations

Minority Health