Originally written by Sarah Wilkins, Communications Coordinator for Division of Access and Engagement
When McKenzie Granata moved from Columbus, Ohio to rural West Virginia, she was introduced firsthand to deep healthcare disparities—where an entire community might share a single dentist. This ignited a passion that is shaping her career. Now a third-year Public Health PhD student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Granata is addressing critical health needs in Central Appalachia through community-engaged research, made possible by the Community Engagement Academy (CEA).
Granata’s journey began with a medical school focus, but a transformative public health class changed her trajectory. “I had a professor whose passion for public health radiated out of her. She was incredibly bold and was a lot like Dr. Samuel,” Granata remembered referring to Assistant Vice Chancellor Dr. Samuel, executive director of the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach (OCEO) and program facilitator of the CEA.
After earning her master’s from Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, she realized public health was where she could “better address the things that set my heart on fire.”
Her research at UT focuses on smoking cessation among COPD patients in Central Appalachia—work deeply rooted in her family’s experiences. “A lot of my family members were diagnosed with COPD and still smoking on oxygen. That not only worsened their health outcomes but took a toll on family members caring for them,” said Granata.
OCEO’s Community Engagement Academy provided exactly what Granata needed at a pivotal moment in her research journey. “The CEA was everything that I wanted and more. I love how Dr. Samuel articulated what community-engaged research is. It’s not just showing up in the community, but really working hand-in-hand with the community.”
This approach marked a significant departure from traditional public health research, which often involved experts entering communities with predetermined solutions. Instead, the CEA taught Granata to ask: “What would make this more beneficial to you? What are the cultural or systemic barriers you’ve experienced? How can we tailor this to you?”
The CEA provided critical funding that enabled Granata to launch “Central Cessation,” a pilot study examining smoking continuation among COPD patients. This project forms the third chapter of her dissertation. Armed with CEA funding, methodological tools, and newfound confidence, Granata approached Valley Health—the largest federally qualified health center in the tri-state region of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio.
“I was able to bolster the boldness and the nerve to go to our Federally Qualified Health Center and say, ‘Hey, I have the funding to do this. I have the idea. This is my community,'” Granata recounts. “It’s not just a researcher wanting to do science for science’s sake. You have to love the people and love the reason you’re doing it. Otherwise, it’s just transactional, and I never want my work to be transactional.”
Despite feeling nervous about meeting with Valley Health’s Chief Medical Officer (“the most nerve-wracking interview of my life”), Granata’s preparation and passion won the day. “He loved the work. I think a big part was that I had all the documents in place,” she says, crediting her committee members, including Dr. Samuel from OCEO.
Granata’s initial pilot survey revealed about 50 percent of people continued smoking even after a COPD diagnosis. Equally important, the survey showed that existing cessation resources—typically online videos and information—weren’t meeting community needs.
“As an Appalachian, I know that cultural community is huge in people’s health success.” Her research specifically asks community members not just if they want tailored cessation interventions, but how they want them delivered.
The larger study, now underway in Putnam County, WV, compensates participants for their insights while gathering crucial data from medical records. This collaborative approach benefits both researchers and the community health center, which lacked epidemiological expertise to analyze existing data.
“A provider probably knows if their patients are continuing to smoke, but they didn’t have all the information packaged up to where they could present to legislators or their board. This research helps articulate: This is problematic, and we should allocate resources to do something about it.”
Building a Healthier Appalachia
While the initial research is part of Granata’s dissertation, she envisions a broader research agenda that includes developing interventions with community members and Valley Health providers. Her ultimate goal is to demonstrate the need for epidemiologists or public health specialists within Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC).
“If we can show the Board of Health and FQHC’s that there’s a need for advanced Public Health training to work in-house, I think specifically in Central Appalachian communities, we can see our numbers start to match those of Columbus, Nashville—big cities where resources are abundant.”
Granata’s story exemplifies the mission of both the CEA and OCEO: empowering scholars to conduct meaningful, community-centered research that addresses real needs.
“The Community Engagement Academy not only financially supported this work but also gave me the confidence to do it, the words to use, and the ability to go into a setting where I traditionally would not feel qualified enough to be at the table,” Granata reflects. “I’m eternally grateful for Dr. Samuel, for CEA, and for all that they’ve done.”
Through programs like the CEA, UT is fostering the next generation of public health leaders committed to collaborative, community-engaged scholarship that makes a tangible difference in the lives of those they serve.