Faculty Profile for Dr. Cassandra Maria Johnson

profile photo for Dr. Cassandra Maria Johnson
Dr. Cassandra Maria Johnson
Associate Professor — School of Family & Consumer Sciences
FCS FCS
phone: (512) 245-9196
Scholarly/Creative Work
Awards
Grants
Service

Biography Section

Biography and Education

 Cassandra M. Johnson, PhD, MSPH, serves as an Associate Professor in the Nutrition and Foods Program.

Teaching Interests

 Nutrition policy; research methods; writing.

Research Interests

 Policy, systems, and environmental changes for nutrition; measurement and methodology; behavioral nutrition.

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Baez, K., Biediger-Friedman, L. M., Johnson, C. M., Stubblefield, E. P., & Markides, B. R. (2025). Exploring client perceptions on gaining infant feeding information through the Texas Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) chatbot. International Journal for Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(2), 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22020193
  • Maleki, S., Johnson, C. M., Mendez, F. A., Shanmugam, R., & Biediger-Friedman, L. M. (2025). A socioeconomic disadvantage index for informing policy, systems, and environmental change interventions for senior nutrition programs. Frontiers in Public Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1520925
  • Hwang, S. S., Johnson, C. M., Charles, J. S. J., & Biediger-Friedman, L. M. (2024). Food Delivery Apps and Their Potential to Address Food Insecurity in Older Adults: A Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21, 1197. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091197
  • Biediger-Friedman, L. M., Johnson, C. M., Thornton, H. B., & Buckley, M. (2024). Building Bobcat Bounty: The design, implementation, and initial evaluation of a student-led food pantry to address college student food insecurity. Dietetics, 3(4), 389–408. https://doi.org/10.3390/dietetics3040029
  • Sharkey, J. R., Nalty, C., Johnson, C. M., & Dean, W. R. (2012). Children’s very low food security is associated with increased dietary intakes in energy, fat, and added sugar among Mexican-origin children (6-11 y) in Texas border Colonias. BMC Pediatrics, 12, 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2431-12-16

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: Presidential Excellence Award for Excellence In Scholarly/Creative Activity, Texas State University. September 1, 2024
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence In Scholarly/Creative Activity, Texas State University. September 1, 2023
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Impact Award, Graduate Education Advancement Board, UNC-Chapel Hill. April 2018
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Inductee, Delta Omega (Honorary Society in Public Health). May 2010
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Teaching Award of Honor 2020, Texas State University. May 2020

Selected Grants

  • Biediger-Friedman, Lesli M (Principal), Qasem, Apan Muhammad (Co-Principal), Villagran, Melinda Morris (Co-Principal), Johnson, Cassandra (Co-Principal), Renick, Cecil O (Co-Principal), Hwang, Sangchul Scott (Supporting), Mendez, Francis A (Supporting), Sen, Keya (Supporting), Ramamonjiarivelo, Zo H (Supporting), Shanmugam, Ram (Supporting), Charles, Joni S J (Supporting). NUEVA - Nutrition for Underserved Elders Via Application, United States Department of Health and Human Services - Administration for Community Living, Federal, $2764270. (Submitted: March 10, 2022, Funded: August 1, 2022 - July 31, 2027). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Chair
Faculty Search Committee, School of Family and Consumer Sciences
May 2023-Present
Member
Nutrition and Obesity Policy and Research Evaluation Network (NOPREN)
January 2023-Present
Affiliate Member
Translational Health Research Center
April 2021-Present
Member
International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA)
August 2019-Present
Reviewer / Referee
Appetite
November 21, 2024-December 6, 2024