Marybeth Mitcham

Dr. MB (Marybeth) Mitcham is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Online MPH Program in the Department of Global and Community Health. Mitcham’s research interests include the effect of intergenerational learning opportunities on healthy behavior patterns, rural gender identity, the intersection of plant-rich diets and rural populations, and effective public health education methods. Her work focuses on translating research into practice by promoting kinesthetic learning opportunities designed to reduce the barriers to achieving good health. Before coming to Mason, Mitcham worked as a Nutrition and Healthy Living Resource Educator for Cornell University Cooperative Extension.

Community Service

• Instruction and subject-matter expertise for outdoor cooking, nutrition, wild edibles, and food sovereignty education, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 2022-present
• Volunteer reviewer of student capstone public health projects, Nepris Inc, remote, 2021-present
• Volunteer instructor (wild edibles identification and use) for women-only outdoor education workshops, BOW (Becoming an Outdoors Woman), 2020-present
• Self-volunteer, Special education life skill instruction, nutrition/food preservation/wildcrafting education, piano instruction, academic tutoring, Stony Creek, NY, 2002-present
• World Food Prize Roundtable Expert, New York Youth Institute (NYYI), 2021-2022
• Special Education Parent Liaison, Hadley-Luzerne Central School, Hadley Luzerne Central School Committee Special Education, 2015-2020
• Stony Creek Troop Committee Chair and Merit Badge Counselor, Boy Scouts of America, Stony Creek, Ny, 2008-2020

Research

Select Publications

Mitcham, MM. Sea Salt as a Food Preservative. In: Saini, R, ed. Science of Sea Salt. 2022.

Mitcham, MM. Hawthorn. In: Wallace, TC, ed. Health Professional's Guide to Dietary Supplements. NY, NY: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2022.

Mitcham, MM. Horehound. In: Wallace, TC, ed. Health Professional's Guide to Dietary Supplements. NY, NY: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2022.

Mitcham, MM. An exploration into public health experiences of rural residents to facilitate understanding of chronic poor health habits: A phenomenological study [Ph.D. dissertation]. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University; 2021.

Mitcham, MM, Wolfe, W, Tidball, M, Bowe, J, Tidball, K. 4-H Outdoor Cooking. Cornell University Cooperative Extension; 2020.

Mitcham, MM. Addressing youth obesity in Warren County, NY, through the provision of nutrition and health education [master’s thesis]. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University; 2016.

Charoenmuang M, Helmholdt A, Mitcham M. Food systems for thought and change. https://4-h.org/about/4-h-at-home/food-systems/. Published October 28, 2021. Accessed November 2, 2021.

Grants

USDA: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Grant, 2021

$15,000 for development and delivery of online learning opportunity: 4-H at Home, Food Systems Exploration (co-PI) USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI - Education and Workforce Development project 2021-67037-33376

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2021

$1,000 for youth educational materials

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2021

$5,000 for Farm to School educational materials

Charles R. Wood Foundation Grant, 2020

$4,000 for COVID-19 related youth food insecurity education and deliverables

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2020

$5,120 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2020

$1,000 COVID-19 related food insecurity equipment

New York State Ag and Markets Farm to School Grant, 2019

$98,432 for 2-year Farm to School Education (co-PI)

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2019

$7,750 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2019

$1,000 for youth nutrition education

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2018

$7,130 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2018

$1,000 for youth nutrition education

NRA Foundation Grant, 2018

$4,000 for youth archery education equipment

New York State Ag and Markets Farm to School Grant, 2017

$93,582 for 2-year Farm to School Education (co-PI)

United Health Care Food Smart Families Grant, 2016

$22,980 for two-year youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2017

$5,240 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Stewart’s Shops Foundation Grant, 2017

$1,000 for youth nutrition education

Wal-Mart Healthy Habits Grant, 2016

$3,110 for youth healthy living education (co-PI)

Awards

• Best Education Curriculum Package, 4-H Outdoor Cooking, 2020, 2021
  
  National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) State Award (New York)
• Best Education Curriculum Package, 4-H Outdoor Cooking 2020, 2021
  
  National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) Region Award (Eastern States District)
• Continued Education Award for Academic and Professional Excellence, 2020
  
  Fred B Morris Professional Development

Affiliations 

• American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM)
• American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• New York Public Health Association (NYPHA); Policy and Advocacy Committee (PAC) 2021-present
• Adirondack 46ers
• Cornell University Extension Food Systems Project Work Team (PWT), 2020-present
• Epsilon Sigma Phi (Lambda Chapter), 2019-2022
• Cornell University Extension Youth Healthy Eating and Active Living Project Work Team (Y-HEAL PWT); co-chair 2020-2022
• Cornell University Extension (CCE) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)/Belonging Leadership Team; Consultive Committee Member 2021-2022
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS), 2017-2021; New York Treasurer 2021
• New York Public Health Association (NYPHA); Maternal and Child Health (MACH) Committee, 2021
• American Botanical Council, 2015-2021
• Kappa Delta Pi, 2018-2021

Degrees

• PhD, Curriculum and Instruction, Liberty University
• MPH, Nutrition, Liberty University
• BS, Biology, SUNY Empire State College
• AAS, Human Development, SUNY Empire State College
• AAS, Science, Mathematics, and Technology, SUNY Empire State College