SOPHE is excited to announce Dr. Joseph Lightner as the new editor of Health Education & Behavior – one of the society’s three peer-reviewed journals.
Lightner, an associate professor and researcher at the University of Missouri-Kansas City has been serving as the journal’s interim editor since the spring, was selected after a nationwide search and open call for applications.
“SOPHE is very excited to have Dr. Lightner leading HE&B,” said SOPHE CEO Maricela Arias-Cantu. “He is a fantastic ambassador for SOPHE and has shown tremendous leadership and ability during his time as the interim editor. The journal is in excellent hands with his leadership.”
Lightner was an HE&B Associate Editor for two years before taking over as the interim editor. He is thankful for the opportunity and acknowledged those who established the journal’s foundation before him.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead Health Education & Behavior and to build on the outstanding work that Jesús Ramirez-Valles and the editorial board have done to strengthen the journal,” said Lightner, who has also been a published author by the journal. “HE&B has a long history of publishing rigorous, innovative, and impactful scholarship, and I see this appointment as both a responsibility and an opportunity to help carry that work forward.”
Lightner is a nationally recognized researcher in health behavior, physical activity, health equity, and implementation science. He has been published in academic research journals over 45 times and presented nationally over 50 times.
He knows the opportunity in front of him and is eager for the task ahead.
“Looking ahead, I am especially excited about continuing to strengthen the journal’s scientific rigor and relevance, broadening the perspectives and voices, and creating new opportunities for HE&B to engage,” he said. “My goal is to honor the journal’s strong foundation while continuing to evolve how we serve authors, reviewers, and the field.”
As a researcher, Lightner’s work focuses on developing and evaluating community- and policy-based approaches to improve population health, with particular emphasis on physical activity, HIV, and reducing health disparities. He has led and collaborated on numerous federally funded research and public health initiatives. Lightner brings extensive experience in research, mentorship, scholarly publishing, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Health Education & Behavior is a peer-reviewed, bimonthly journal that publishes authoritative empirical research and commentary on critical health issues of interest to a broad range of professionals whose work involves understanding factors associated with health behavior and evidence-based social and behavioral strategies to improve health status.
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About SOPHE
The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is a nonprofit association that supports leaders in public health, health education and promotion to advance healthy and equitable communities across the globe. SOPHE members work in health care settings, communities, organizations, schools, universities, worksites, and in local, state and federal government agencies. For more information visit www.sophe.org.
