Suzanne R. Hawley, PhD, MPH

Site Director, KU-MPH degree program (Wichita)
Assistant Professor

Research Interests
Complete Biosketch

BA, 1993, California State University, San Bernardino
MA, 1995, California State University, San Bernardino
MPH, 1999, Loma Linda University
PhD, 2002, Loma Linda University

Phone:   316-293-2627
Fax:       316-293-2695
E-mail:   shawley@kumc.edu

Research Interests

• Ethnic Populations
• Mental Health
• Leadership and Workforce Development

Biosketch

Suzanne R. Hawley, PhD, MPH, LP, is a public health academician and licensed clinical psychologist. Within the MPH program, Dr. Hawley presently teaches courses in cultural competency, population mental health, and leadership in public health. She is also the Co-Director for the Kansas Public Health Leadership Institute (KPHLI). the Co-Director of the Kansas Missouri Oklahoma Regional Leadership Institute (KMOLI), and the Co-Director of the Kansas Core Public Health Program (CPH). Her primary research interests are mental health, diverse populations, and public health workforce and leadership development.

After extensive travel with an international educational/performing group, she completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1993. She then received a fellowship to pursue her Master's in Experimental Psychology to develop her skills in basic research from California State University, San Bernardino. After she received her MA in 1995, she went to Loma Linda University in California to pursue her PhD in clinical psychology. Her interests in population health led her to also pursue a Master of Public Health degree program at Loma Linda. After graduating from Loma Linda University with her MPH in 1999 and PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2002, she completed her post-doctoral training at Prairie View, Inc., in Newton, Kansas.

She has previously worked in educational, community mental health, psychiatric hospital, and prison settings. Her previous research projects have brought together her specialty areas of psychology, public health, and diverse populations. Currently, she runs leadership and training programs in public health, investigates Epilepsy in rural populations, and has developed leadership and health training for faith communities in Kansas and nationally.

Dr. Hawley is presently a member of the Kansas Behavioral Health All-Hazards Stakeholder Planning Group, Women in Medicine and Science, the American Public Health Association, the Kansas Public Health Association (KPHA), and the National Public Health Leadership Development Network (NLN). In 2004, she received a Public Service Award from the KPHA for contribution to the state for her work in public health leadership development. In 2005, she received the University of Kansas Medical Center Executive Vice Chancellor’s Diversity award for her work in advancing cultural diversity through her teaching, research and service activities. She is currently the 2009 Chair of the National Public Health Leadership Development Network and leads their executive board.