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Dr. Cassandra Maria Johnson

  • Associate Professor - School of Family & Consumer Sciences
Portrait of Dr. Cassandra Maria Johnson

Biography and education

Cassandra M. Johnson, PhD, MSPH, CHES®, serves as an Associate Professor in the Nutrition and Foods Program at Texas State University. Dr. Johnson’s research interests center around policies, systems, and environmental changes for nutrition and health, with a focus on food (in)security measurement and interventions. Previously, Dr. Johnson has been recognized with awards or honors including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, Texas State University (2024) and being named to the Alpha Tau chapter of Delta Omega, the honors society in public health (2010). To date, Dr. Johnson has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles in journals and presented her research at many national and international conferences.

Education
2017 - PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Nutrition (track: Intervention and Policy, minor: Epidemiology)
2010 - MSPH, Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health, Social and Behavioral Health
2005 - BS, Texas A&M University, Industrial Engineering (minor: Mathematics)

Certification
2025 - Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®), National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC)

Teaching Interests

Research Interests

  • 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.
  • Perez, E., Johnson, C. M., Li, Y., & Pagan, J. A. (2025). Optimizing access to fruits and vegetables in rural communities: A decision-making model for the placement of produce markets. PLOS One, 20(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331545
  • Zhu, J., Shen, X., Liu, Y., Yang, K., Wu, H., Lingpeng Lu, L., … Zhu, J. (2025). Associations of serum choline, betaine and trimethylamine N-oxide with gestational diabetes mellitus among Chinese pregnant women. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention, & Health, 8(1):e001111. https://doi.org/doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2024-001111. Impact factor(2024): 3.3
  • 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
  • Lamkin, K., Xu, L., Wang, K., Liu, Y., Yang, K., Wu, H., … Zhu, J. (2024). Choline and Betaine Intakes during Pregnancy in Relation to Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Chinese Women. British Journal of Nutrition.
  • 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 (Alpha Tau chapter). May 2010
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Teaching Award of Honor 2020, Texas State University. May 2020
View all awards
  1. Member

    Nutrition and Obesity Policy and Research Evaluation Network (NOPREN)

  2. Other

    Translational Health Research Center, TXST

  3. Other

    International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA)

  4. Chair

    Faculty Search Committee, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, TXST

  5. Reviewer / Referee

    International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

  6. Member

    Faculty Search Committee, School of Family and Consumer Sciences

  7. View all activities