LaHoma Smith Romocki, PhD

About

Dr. LaHoma Romocki is an adjunct associate professor. She has worked in global health for more than 30 years and has extensive field experience in sub-Saharan Africa. She has held positions as a public health education practitioner, researcher, administrator and educator in diverse public and private settings.

Romocki recently completed a 2.5-year assignment as the Peace Corps country director in Cameroon. Other career positions she has held include associate director at Family Health International (now FHI 360), senior research analyst on international AIDS issues for the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and health educator with the North Carolina Department of Health and Natural Resources.

She currently is a faculty member at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and is part of a research team with Drs. Jennifer Smith (UNC Gillings School) and Vijay Savaraman (NCCU), investigating testing, triage and follow-up for cervical cancer screening in medically underserved women in N.C.

Honors and Awards

Two Meritorious Honor Awards
U.S. Department of State

Teaching Interests

Romocki teaches undergraduate courses, conducts scholarly research on global public health and health disparities, coordinates service learning activities, and advises public health and pre-med students and student-led organizations.

Courses taught at NCCU include: (HEDU 4700) Introduction to Global Health, (HEDU 4000) Communicating for Health, (HEDU 3210) Foundations of Public Health, (HEDU 3600) Planning for Health Promotion and (HEDU 4220) Senior Seminar, the capstone course for graduating majors.

Research Activities

She has served as PI or as a research team member and received funded support for communications work in: HIV/AIDs, reproductive health, health literacy, health disparities, diabetes, HPV vaccine feasibility, cervical cancer and prostate cancer. She also has authored peer-reviewed articles and served on scientific review and advisory boards.

Service Activities

Romocki is committed to increasing students’ awareness of global health problems. She has led several study and service-learning programs abroad. She advises students interested in pursuing careers in the health professions, health communication and global health. Romocki teaches a course titled "Introduction to Global Health" and is the faculty adviser for two student organizations on the NCCU campus that have a global focus.

She has served on the Board of Directors of Nourish International since 2014 and is a member of the global health competencies working group of the Consortium of Universities in Global Health.

Romocki also has served on local and state boards in Durham and Raleigh and currently sits on the Board of Health for the Granville-Vance Health District.

Staff/Administrative Duties

Romocki is the coordinator and faculty advisor for the training core of the public health fellows program funded by the NIH-NCI-U54 research collaborative grant between NCCU and UNC's Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Education