Susan Blake, Ph.D.
Susan M. Blake is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Prevention and Community Health.
- Phone: (202)994-3567
- Email: sphsmb@gwumc.edu
Professor Blake is a clinical psychologist and behavioral scientist with postdoctoral training in public health. Her primary interests lie in applying behavioral and ecological theories to prevent adverse health outcomes and to promote health and mental health in populations. Whether she is seeking ways to prevent violence, substance use, pregnancy, or HIV among adolescents, studying the mental health issues facing at-risk, immigrant or orphan children and families, or evaluating school and community-based prevention programs, Professor Blake's diverse professional, clinical and public service-oriented activities focus on the goal of building healthier individuals, families, organizations and communities.
Education
• Bachelor of Sciences (Psychology), Old Dominion University, 1972
• Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology), University of Arizona, 1978
• Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology), University of Arizona, 1982
• Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Minnesota (School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology), 1982-1985
Teaching
• HSML 6222 – Group Leadership and Team Facilitation
Research
Professor Blake's current research focuses primarily on child, adolescent and women's health. Her research is notable for its diversity, and has involved health communications; assessing behavioral and social determinants of risk and resiliency, and designing behavioral and community-based interventions; and quality improvement and assurance programs in primary care. An expert on program development and evaluation, Professor Blake consults regularly with local, national and international agencies; more recent consultancies include ones for the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and various state and local public health and education agencies. Among the community-based and clinical interventions she has developed or tested are those designed to: enhance parent-child communications; promote physical activity and smoking cessation in communities; and improve health education and services in schools, worksites and primary care settings. She is currently Principal Investigator of an NIH-funded study to prevent environmental tobacco smoke exposure during infancy, and a study with Kidsave International assessing the psychosocial adjustment of older Russian and Columbian orphans adopted by American families. She is additionally Co-PI on a NICHD-funded study to prevent repeat teen pregnancy, a DC Dept. of Mental Health, School Mental Health Program evaluation, an evaluation study of the Bodyworks program that is designed for adolescent girls and their parents/caregivers and is sponsored by the Office of Women’s Health, and a recently completed CDC-funded intervention with Johns Hopkins University to prevent dating violence, and verbal, physical and sexual aggression in Baltimore public schools.
Community Service
As an ISCOPES Academic Preceptor, Professor Blake serves as an academic preceptor to interdisciplinary teams at GWU's School of Public Health and Health Services and George Mason University and facilitates service-learning experiences in the community. As a volunteer evaluation consultant, Professor Blake has developed and implemented a follow-up study of older adopted children who were institutionalized in Russia and Columbia orphanages for Kidsave International. She is a member of numerous professional organizations and a peer reviewer for multiple journals in psychology and public health.
Expertise
- HIV/AIDS
- Health Disparities
- Obesity
- Women's Health