During their meeting on April 26, 2017 in Reston, VA, the PIRE Board elected Pebbles Fagan, Ph.D., MPH as a Director, serving a three-year term. Dr. Fagan is Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Tobacco at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health in Little Rock, Arkansas.
 Dr. Fagan has over 20 years of experience in conducting research that aims to increase our knowledge on how to reduce tobacco- and cancer-related health disparities in racial/ethnic, socially disadvantaged, and marginalized communities. She has long-standing track record of using team-based science to examine social, behavioral, and biobehavioral factors associated with these disparities. In addition, she has led efforts to unravel the unique factors that contribute to the growing popularity of flavored tobacco, dual use behaviors, quitting behaviors, and nicotine dependence among young adults who consume flavored tobacco products including menthol cigarettes, little cigars/cigarillos, and electronic cigarettes. Her recent studies have largely focused on conducting research within a tobacco regulatory science framework to inform the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulation of flavored tobacco products. She is currently the Co-I on several tobacco-regulatory science grants funded by the National Institutes of Health and the FDA. Dr. Fagan also serves as a co-investigator on a colorectal cancer screening grant, is highly committed to diversifying the research workforce, dedicated to mentoring faculty and students, and is steadfast in working with communities to eliminate health disparities.
In 2015, Dr. Fagan was appointed to the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, Center for Tobacco Products, FDA. In 2012, she received an Outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M University. In 2007, she received the NIH Merit Award for her leadership in tobacco-related health disparities research. Dr. Fagan received a NCI Director's Award in 2006 for her collaborative work in training minority investigators and was recognized by Aetna Insurance in the Aetna African American History Calendar, 25th Anniversary Edition for her work in tobacco-related health disparities. Dr. Fagan is a member of the American Public Health Association; the American Association for Cancer Research; founding member of the Tobacco and Health Disparities Committee of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco; Soroptimist International of Waikiki Foundation, Incorporated; and The Links Incorporated, Hawaii Chapter. Dr. Fagan enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, gardening, and cooking. She loves the outdoors, live music, and good food. |
