Dr. Susan Veldheer’s research focuses on the prevention of diet-related chronic disease through community- and clinic-based behavioral interventions. She is a prevention researcher, behavioral scientist, and registered dietitian with expertise in designing and leading randomized controlled trials that address upstream determinants of cardiovascular disease, cancer risk, and health disparities.

Dr. Veldheer is the Director of the Food as Medicine Initiative, with a vision that all people are able to identify, access, prepare, and consume high-quality diets to optimize health. Her research advances Food as Medicine approaches—including fruit and vegetable prescription programs, gardening and culinary medicine interventions, medically tailored food supports, and social needs screening—designed to improve diet quality and reduce chronic disease risk among low-income and medically underserved populations.

Using interdisciplinary and community-engaged research methods, Dr. Veldheer emphasizes patient-centered outcomes and equity-driven program design, working closely with community advisory boards, healthcare systems, and public health partners. Her work increasingly focuses on translating evidence-based nutrition interventions into scalable, sustainable models that can be implemented across clinical and community settings, informed by behavioral theory and implementation science frameworks.

Dr. Veldheer also mentors students and early-career investigators in prevention and behavioral science research, with the goal of strengthening the next generation of researchers working at the intersection of nutrition, healthcare, and community health.

Registered Dietitian, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)