Title(s): Assistant Professor
Department: Health Management and Policy
Office: N240 CPHB
Phone: (319) 467-4402
Social: Twitter feed

Whitney Zahnd, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy and full member of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her research employs health services research, social epidemiological, and spatial methods to address rural cancer disparities across the continuum and to evaluate access to health care services. Dr. Zahnd serves on the board of the Iowa Rural Health Association. Before joining the University of Iowa faculty, Dr. Zahnd completed post-doctoral training and served as research faculty at the Rural & Minority Health Research Center at the University of South Carolina. Prior to earning her doctorate in community health from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2018, she worked for eleven years as a master’s trained researcher at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine supporting rural health and cancer disparities research.

Dr. Zahnd leads the Advancing Cancer and Rural Equity (ACRE) lab where she works with students at all levels to help them develop research and professional skills to reduce rural health disparities and improve health care access and equity.  She aims to support students in meeting their academic and career goals.