Bethesda O'Connell

Department of Community and Behavioral Health

Beth O'Connell

Bethesda O'Connell, DrPH 

Associate Professor
Department of Community and Behavioral Health

Contact:
423-439-4816 / oconnell@etsu.edu 
Lamb Hall 452




EDUCATION

Doctor of Public Health
Concentration: Community Health

Master of Public Health
Concentration: Community Health

Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Concentration: Community Health; Minors: Biology, Disaster Response and Preparedness 

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), 2018- present
National Commission for Health Education Credentialing 

RESEARCH FOCUS

Public health interventions in low-resource communities with emphasis on drinking water quality and substandard housing

GRANTS AND CONTRACTS

  1. Expanding Safe Water Access to Improve Health Outcomes in Appalachia: The Rural WatEr fiLtration and heaLth (RWELL) trial. Sub-award from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Primary Investigator of Sub-Award. Aug 2025- July 2030
  2. Evaluation of the CDC Public Health Infrastructure Grant. Tennessee Department of Health/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Co-Investigator. Jul 2023- Jun 2028
  3. Evaluation of Produce Prescription Program. Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council/ Dept of Agriculture. Primary Investigator. Sept 2022- Aug 2026
  4. Evaluation of the Veterans Home Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program. Coalition for Home Repair/ Dept of Housing and Urban Development. Primary Investigator. Feb- Dec 2023
  5. The Tennessee COVID-19 Health Disparities Initiative. Tennessee Department of Health/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Co-Investigator. Jun 2021- May 2024
  6. National Indian Health Board Evaluation Review. National Indian Health Board. Co-Investigator. Oct- Nov 2021
  7. Adversity in Infancy and Childhood Cognitive Development: Evidence from Four Developing Countries. ETSU Research Development Committee Small Grant. Co-Investigator. Aug 2020-Jul 2021

RESEARCH PROFILE

ETSU Research Portal Profile

PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Jul 2019- Jun 2020

Director, Master of Public Health Program
Liberty University 

Aug 2016- Jun 2020

Assistant Professor, Department of Public and Community Health
Liberty University

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Travel, family, fur babies (Siberian huskies and cats)