About Penny

Vice Chancellor for Research & Carla Smith Chamblee Distinguished Professor of Global Nutrition, UNC-Chapel Hill

Leadership/Service

Scientific Associations:

  • 2023-Present Executive Committee Member, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities Council on Research
  • 2022-Present: Member, Association of Universities and Chief Research Officers (AAU)
  • 2022-Present: Member, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities Chief Research Officers.
  • 2022-Present: Member, Nominations Committee, The Obesity Society
  • 2021-2023: Member, Research Committee of The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.
  • 2020-2023: Co-Chair, Science Development Committee, The Obesity Society
  • 2020-2022: Co-Chair, Research Section, The Association of Schools and Programs for Public Health
  • 2016-2019: Member, Obesity Committee of the Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health, American Heart Association
  • 2016-2017: Immediate Past President, The Obesity Society
  • 2015-2016: President, The Obesity Society (32nd President of The Obesity Society)
  • 2014-2015: President-Elect, The Obesity Society
  • 2013-2014: Vice President, The Obesity Society
  • 2012-2016: Leadership Council, Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health, American Heart Association
  • 2012-Present: Fellow of the American Heart Association, American Heart Association
  • 2010-2013: Committee Member, Nominating Committee, The Obesity Society
  • 2008-2009: Chair, Pediatric Obesity Section, The Obesity Society
  • 2006-2008: Secretary/Treasurer, Pediatric Obesity Section, The Obesity Society
  • 2005-2008: Governing Council, The Obesity Society
  • 2004-2007: Scientific Meeting Planning Committee, The Obesity Society, The North American Association for the Study of Obesity, Population Studies Track Chair, 2005-2007.
  • 2004-2006: Governing Council, Pediatric Section, The Obesity Society
  • 2002-Present: Member, American Society for Nutrition
  • 2002-Present: Fellow of The Obesity Society (FTOS), The Obesity Society
  • 2000-Present: Member, Population Association of America
  • 1998-2002: Member, The Obesity Society (née NAASO)

Professional Service

Federal Roles:

  • ‍2022-Present: Member, DSMB Biomarkers of Dietary Intake and Exposure Data Coordinating Center (U24DK129557)
  • 2019-2023: Advisory Council, NIH, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
  • 2021-2022: Member, Health Disparities and Health Equity Working Group of the NIDDK Advisory Council.
  • 2021-2022: Member, NIH Council of Councils Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Integration Working Group.
  • 2020-2021: Co-chair, Dissemination and Implementation Research Committee for the NIH, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 2021-2026 Strategic Plan.
  • 2018-2020: Member, NIH, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Clinical Obesity Research Panel (CORP)
  • 2018-2020: Member, NIH Nutrition Research Strategic Plan Thought Leader Panel
  • 2016-2019: Chair, NIH, Kidney, Nutrition, Obesity & Diabetes Study Section.
  • 2016: Search Committee, Branch Chief, Health Behaviors Research Branch (HBRB), Behavioral Research Program, in the National Cancer Institute.
  • 2015: Search Committee, Branch Chief, Health Behaviors Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute.
  • 2012-2016: NIH, Permanent Study Section Member, Kidney, Nutrition, Obesity & Diabetes Study Section.
  • 2009-2012: NIH, Ad Hoc Study Section Member, Kidney, Nutrition, Obesity & Diabetes.
  • 2009: NIH, 2009/10 ZHD1 DSR-M (92) Community Conference. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Special Emphasis Panel.
  • 2009: NIH, 2009/07 NIH Challenge Grants in Health and Science Research, Population Sciences and Epidemiology (PSE) Integrated Review Group.
  • 2009: NIH, 2009/05 ZHD1 DSR-M (23) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Special Emphasis Panel.
  • 2006: NIH, Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group 2007/01 ZHD1 DSR-M (HB). Population Sciences, National Institute of Child Health and Development.
  • 2006: Robert Wood Johnson, Healthy Eating Research Grants. University of Minnesota.
  • 2006: NIH, Population Sciences Committee, National Institute of Child Health and Development CHHD-W.
  • 2005: NIH, Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group 2005/10 ZRG1 RPHB-A (03) Psychosocial Risk and Disease Prevention Study Section [PRDP].
  • 2005: NIH, Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group 2005/05 ZRG1 RPHB-A (03) Psychosocial Risk and Disease Prevention Study Section [PRDP].
  • 2003: NIH, National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Review: Health & Environment Research Centers, U01.
  • 2003: United States Department of Agriculture Pediatric Obesity - Clinical Studies, USDA Clinical Nutrition Research Centers.

Steering Committees/Expert Panels:

  • 2022-Present: Member, American Heart Association consensus panel on cardiovascular-kidney metabolic health.
  • 2022-Present: Invitee, American Heart Association Obesity Roundtable to chart the organization’s strategic plan for obesity.
  • 2018-2022: Scientific Advisory Committee, Boston Nutrition Obesity Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Tufts Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine.
  • 2014-Present: Advisor for NC Women’s Health Report Card. Center for Women's Health Research. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2016-2017: Advisory Board, Novo Nordisk.
  • 2014-2016: Board of Directors, Good Entertainment Foundation, FabLab. Good Entertainment, LLC.
  • 2007-2012: Member, Advisory Panel. Dynamically Integrating Macro and Micro Processes. National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Principal Investigator: Barbara Entwisle.
  • 2009: Member, External Advisory Panel. Pennington Biomedical Research Center USDA funded study INSIGHT.
  • 2007: Member, Expert Panel. Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Kaiser Permanente Foundation, the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc., and the Research Triangle Institute.
  • 2006: Member, Measures in Built Environment/Physical Activity Working Group. Obesity Policy Development at The National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute.
  • 2004-2010: Expert pool for the National Children's Study Duplin County Vanguard Center, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2004-2007: North Carolina WAY to Health (Worksite Activities for You!) Statewide Steering Committee Member.

Regional Board Memberships:

  • ‍2022-Present: Research Triangle International (RTI)
  • 2022-Present: North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBC)
  • 2022-Present: Triangle Universities Center for Advanced Studies Inc. (TUCASI)
  • 2022-Present: Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC)
  • 2021-Present: Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI)

Service to the Department, School, University, State, and National Levels:

  • 2022-Present: Chancellor’s Cabinet, UNC-Chapel Hill
  • 2022-Present: Provost’s Cabinet, UNC-Chapel Hill
  • 2022-Present: Provost’s Leadership Team, UNC-Chapel Hill
  • 2022-Present: Captain, Carolina Next: Innovations for the Public Good: Global Research & Innovation Powerhouse initiative, UNC-Chapel Hill
  • 2022-Present: CRSO-Clinical Research Steering Committee, UNC Chapel Hill
  • 2022-Present: SPLENDOR-NC: Supporting, Promoting, and Launching the Expansion of Nutrition, Diabetes, and Obesity Researchers in NC Steering Committee, UNC Chapel Hill
  • 2022-Present: TraCS Strategic Advisory Committee, UNC Chapel Hill
  • 2022-Present: Drug Discovery Initiative Joint Steering Committee, UNC Chapel Hill
  • 2022-Present: Chair Systems Biology Sub-Committee, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study
  • 2021-2022: Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) Leadership Team, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2021-2022: Schoolwide Strategic Planning Committee, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2020-2022: Advisory Committee, University’s Conflict of Interest Advisory Committee, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2019-2022: Gillings Leadership Center Strategic Planning Group, UNC Chapel Hill
  • 2019-2022: Faculty Advisory Council, Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI)
  • 2019-2022: Committee on Research Strategy, School of Data Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • 2019-2022: Member, Team Science Team, North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • 2021-2022: Search Committee Chair, Vice Dean, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2019-2022: Co-chair, Research Section of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
  • 2020-2022: Leadership Team, NC Legislative Research Projects as part of House Bill 1043, 2020 COVID-19 Recovery Act.
  • 2017-Present: Steering Committee, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study
  • 2017-2019: At Large Member, UNC Nominating Committee, Faculty Governance, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • 2017-2019: Scientific Review Committee, North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • 2016-2018: Associate Chair for Research, Nutrition Department, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • 2016: Delegate, Childhood Obesity Advisory to Michelle Obama, Let’s Move transition planning, White House, East Wing.
  • 2015: Member, Search Committee, Professor in Social Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2015: Member, Search Committee, Professor in Microbiome Research, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2013-2016: Member, Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee, Provost’s Office, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2012-2016: Chair, Doctoral Committee, Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • 2013-2016: Member, UNC Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee. Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2013-2016: Member, UNC Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee. Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2012-2016: Chair, Doctoral Committee. Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2011-2018: Leader, Obesity and Metabolic Disease Flexible Interdisciplinary Research Group. Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility.
  • 2012-2018: Departmental Ombudsman. Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2010-2016: Member, Doctoral Committee, Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2009-2012: Member, Advisory Council, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2009-2012: Member, Advisory Board, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • 2007-2011: Member, Training Committee, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2007-Present: Member, Search Committee: Nutrient Assessment Position, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Member, Search Committee: Clinical Fixed Term Position, Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2004-2010: Organizer (with Steve Walsh, Professor, Department of Geography). Seminar Series: Population Research using Geographic Information Systems. Monthly seminar focused on population-based environmental and spatial research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2004-2010: Chair, Bachelor of Science Public Health Committee, Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2002-2010: Organizer, Seminar Series: Obesity and Physical Activity. Monthly seminar focused on population-based environmental and spatial research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • 2002-2004: Member, Bachelor of Science Public Health Committee, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

UNC-Chapel Hill Affiliations:

  • 2001-Present: Fellow, Carolina Population Center.
  • 2004-Present: Fellow, Center for Urban and Regional Studies.
  • 2016-2017: Fellow, Faculty Learning Community on Strategy and Leadership.
  • 2004-2017: Leader, Obesity & Metabolic Disease, Flexible interdisciplinary Research Group, Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility.
  • 2005-2017: Head, Macro and Built Environment, Interdisciplinary Obesity.

Editorial Positions:

  • 2011-Present: Associate Editor, Pediatric Obesity.
  • 2010-2020: Editorial Board Member, Nutrition and Diabetes.
  • 2008-2020: Editorial Board Member, Annals of Human Biology.
  • 2010-2016: Associate Editor, Health and Place.
  • 2007-2010: Editorial Board Member, Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
  • 2003-2013: Editorial Board Member, Obesity (Formerly Obesity Research).

Substantive Relevant Leadership Trainings*

  • USA Dannon Nutrition Leadership Institute (1998). Week-long leadership institute led by Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC and leaders in nutrition sciences to develop leadership in nutrition sciences and promote excellence in nutrition research.
  • UNC Academic Leadership Program (2017-2018). Year-long leadership program hosted by the Institute of Arts & Humanities to prepare and support current and emerging leaders at UNC.
  • Center for Creative Leadership (2017). Week-long leadership training led by Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC to prepare leaders to tackle real-world challenges.
  • Provost’s Executive Leadership Program (2023). Executive coaching sessions, orientation, and development programming.

* Approximately two dozen additional half-day leadership workshops in relevant areas