Sara Schaefer, PhD
Curriculum Vitae
Education
PhD, Nutritional Biology, 2005, University of California, Davis
Emphasis: Program of International and Community Nutrition
Area of focus: Epidemiology
BSc, Human Nutrition, Foods & Exercise, 2000 (Cum Laude), Virginia Tech
Minor: Chemistry
Highlights & Expertise
Personalized Nutrition; Measuring Nutrition, Health & Diet; Research Design & Execution;
Community & Public Health; Maternal & Child Health; Health Education; Peace Corps Volunteer;
Science-based Innovation; Multidisciplinary Collaboration; Spanish Fluency
Energy Kinesiology; Integrative Health and Wellness
Professional Experience
Founder
Serendipity Wellness, drsaraschaefer.com, 2016 - present
Helping individuals achieve optimal health through balanced energy and nutrition; Health & Wellness Blog
Associate Director of Technology & Education
Foods for Health Institute, University of California, Davis, CA · ffhi.ucdavis.edu, 2010 - present
Core member of a multidisciplinary team of scientists bringing personalized health to practice.
Leads a research program that combines nutrition science with innovation to deliver new solutions for personalized health.
Scientific Consultant
Tamarack Biotics, Benicia, CA, 2017 - present
Worked with a food ingredient producer on efficacy studies and data analyses, wrote scientific publications.
Scientific Advisor
Equate Health, LLC, Fremont, CA, 2017 - present
Advised AI/Machine learning start-up on creating chronic health care platforms.
Scientific Advisor,
Good Parents Inc, San Francisco, CA, 2016 - present
Conducted field-testing of a wearable health technology for kids.
Scientific Consultant
Healbe™, Redwood City, CA, 2016 - present
Validated the GoBe® smartband nutrition and health tracker.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; 2010
Evaluated Healthy Foods North dietary intervention in indigenous Arctic communities.
Program Nutrition Specialist
SUSTAIN (501c3 non-profit), Washington, DC; 2008-2010
Reformulated government subsidized food aid products that target nutrient deficiencies worldwide.
Nutrition Consultant
A2Z: The USAID Micronutrient and Childhood Blindness Project, Washington, DC, 2008
Created a publication that summarized conference proceedings.
Public Health Educator
U.S. Peace Corps, HIV/AIDS & Child Survival, Honduras, Central America; 2006-2008
Assisted local government and NGOs in delivering health programs to over 30 rural communities.
Graduate Student Researcher
Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology, University of California-Davis; 2001-2005
Implemented a calcium nutrition education program in middle school classrooms and studied the impacts on the bone density of Asian and Hispanic females.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Department of Exercise Science, Virginia Tech; 1998-2000
Conducted research on Duchene’s muscular dystrophy in mouse models.
Publications
Manuscripts
O’Sullivan A, Henrick B, Dixon B, Barile D, Zivkovic A, Martin W, German JB, Schaefer SE. 21st century toolkit for optimizing population health through precision nutrition. Crticial Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition. 2017 https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1348335
Schaefer SE, Bitekoff C, Thomas C, Rashedi RN. Healthy, Vague: Exploring health as a priority in food choice. Special Section on Good Food. Food Culture & Society 2016 19(2): 227-250.
Schaefer SE, Ching CC, Breen HL, German JB. Wearing, Thinking & Moving: Assessment of health tracking in diverse, urban youth. American Journal of Health Education 2016 47(1): 8-16
Schaefer SE, Gomez-Camacho R, Martinez L, Sadeghi B, German JB, de la Torre A. Social and environmental determinants of child physical activity in a rural Mexican-origin community. J Community Health 2016 41(2): 409-16.
Sadeghi B, Kaiser LL, Schaefer S, Tseregounis IE, Martinez L, Gomez-Camacho R, de la Torre A. Multifaceted community-based intervention reduces rate of BMI growth in obese Mexican-origin boys. Pediatric Obesity 2016 doi: 10.1111/ijpo.12135.
Guinard JX, Myrdal Miller A, Mills K, Wong T, Lee SM, Sirimuangmoon C, Schaefer SE, Drescher G. Consumer acceptance of dishes in which beef has been partially substituted with mushrooms and sodium has been reduced. Appetite 2016; 10.1016/j.appet.2016.06.018
Carter-Ching C, Rashedi R, Schaefer SE. Gaming Health: A goals-means-agency framework for evaluating and designing physical activity games. Technoculture 2015, Volume 5.
Schaefer SE, Gomez-Camacho R, Sadeghi B, Kaiser L, German JB, de la Torre A. Assessing child obesity and physical activity in a hard to reach population in California’s central valley. Preventing Chronic Disease 2015;12:140577
Scherr RE, Linnell JD, Smith MH, Briggs M, Bergman J, Brian KM, Schaefer SE, et al. The Shaping Healthy Choices program: Design and implementation methodologies for a multicomponent, school-based nutrition education intervention. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 2015; 46(6), e13-e21
Sheehy T, Kolahdooz F, Schaefer SE, Douglas DN, Corriveau A, Sharma S. Traditional food patterns are associated with better diet quality and improved dietary adequacy in Aboriginal peoples in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics. 2015; 28(3):262-71.
Schaefer SE, Van Loan M, German JB. Feasibility study of wearable activity monitors in pre-adolescent school age children. Preventing Chronic Disease 2014;11:130262
Myrdal Miller A, Mills K, Wong T, Drescher G, Lee SM, Sirimuangmoon C, Schaefer S, Langstaff S, Minor B, Guinard JX. Flavor-enhancing properties of mushrooms in meat-based dishes in which sodium has been reduced and meat has been partially substituted with mushrooms. Journal of Food Science. 2014 Sep;79(9):S1795-804.
De la Torre A, Sadeghi B, Green R, Kaiser LL, Flores YG, Jackson CF, Shaikh U, Whent LS, Schaefer SE. Niños Sanos, Familia Sana: Mexican immigrant study protocol for a multifaceted CBPR intervention to combat childhood obesity in two rural California towns. BMC Public Health 2013;13:1033
Schaefer SE, Erber E, Trzaskos JP, Roache C, Osborne G, Sharma S. Sources of food affect dietary adequacy of Inuit women of childbearing age in Arctic Canada. Journal of Population Health and Nutrition 2011;29(5):454-64.
Fleige LE, Moore WR, Garlick PJ, Murphy SP, Lynch SR, Turner EH, Dunn ML, van Lengerich B, Orthoefer FT, Schaefer SE. Recommendations for product optimization of U.S. Public Law 480 fortified blended foods. Nutrition Reviews 2010; 68(5):290-315
Schaefer SE, Van Loan MD, Salazar M, Bruhn CE, Saviano D, Boushey C. Influence of race, acculturation, and socioeconomic status on tendency toward overweight in Asian-American and Mexican-American early adolescent females. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 2009;11:188-97
Book chapters
Ching CC & Schaefer S. Identities in motion, identities at rest: Addressing the mind-body split in gaming research and design. V Lee (ed), Learning technologies and the body: Integration and implementation. New York, NY: Routledge. Publication 2014
Abstracts
Sadeghi B, Martinez LC, Gomez-Camacho R, Schaefer SE. A significant dissociation between parental perception and actual obesity status in Mexican-American children in Central Valley California: Impact and Implications. J Nutr Educ Behav 2014;46(4), S200-S200.
Moher T, Ching CC, Schaefer S, Lee VR, Enyedy N, Danish J, Guerra P, et al. Becoming reflective: designing for reflection on physical performances. ICLS 2014 Proceedings, 1273
Schaefer SE, Whent LS, de la Torre A. Use of worn accelerometers to measure physical activity in Mexican-heritage children in California’s Central Valley. J Nutr Educ Behav 2013;45(4):S89-S89.
Schaefer SE, Van Loan M, Allen L, JB German JB. Feasibility of accelerometers for measuring children's daily physical activity. FASEB 2012;26.
Schaefer SE, Salazar ML, Bruhn CM, Van Loan MD. Relationship between acculturation and body fat in Asian and Hispanic adolescent girls. FASEB 2004 18(5):A902-A902
Training Materials
Training Manual for Rural Emergency Obstetric Committees “Comites de Emergencia” (Manual in Spanish), Honduras Ministry of Health
Presentations
Talks at Academic & Professional Conferences
Schaefer SE, Ching CC. “Gaming Health,” Games, Learning & Society 2015, Madison, WI.
Schaefer SE, Biltekoff C. “Digging into Good Food: Theory and Methods for Understanding Food Choice.” ASFS/AFHVS 2014 Conference, Collaboration and Innovation Across the Food System. Burlingon, VT, 2014
Schaefer SE, Ching CC. “Health in Your Pocket: Handheld, Wearable and Everyday Technologies for Health Research and Education.” Keynote Presentation, UC CalFresh-EFNEP Statewide Conference, 2014 Davis, CA
Schaefer SE. “Feasibility of Worn Accelerometers for Measuring Children’s Daily Physical Activity. Session: Innovative Tools for Assessment of Diet, Physical Activity and Related Behaviors.” Experimental Biology Conference 2012, San Diego, CA
Schaefer SE, Alkon A. “Race, Class & the Food System”, Panel Discussion. University of the Pacific, Stockton CA, 2012
Academic Posters
Schaefer SE, Martinez L, Whent L, Gomez-Camacho R, de la Torre A. Physical Activity and BMI of Children in Niños Sanos, Familia Sana Project. Creativity and Innovation in Nutrition Education. Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior 2015, Pittsburgh, PA.
Schaefer SE, Ching CC, German JB. “Wearing, Thinking & Moving: Assessment of Health Tracking in Diverse, Urban Youth” Experimental Biology Conference 2015, Boston, MA
Schaefer SE, Sadeghi B, Kaiser LL, de la Torre A. “Impact of Niños Sanos, Familia Sana on the Physical Activity of Mexican-American Children in California’s Central Valley.“ Society of Nutrition, Education & Behavior Conference 2014, Milwaukee, WI.
Schaefer SE, Whent LS, de la Torre A. “Wearable Accelerometers to Measure Physical Activity in Mexican-heritage children in California’s Central Valley.” Society of Nutrition, Education & Behavior Conference 2013, Portland, OR
Schaefer SE. “Health Education: It’s Getting Personal.” California Biannual Childhood Obesity Conference, 2012, San Diego, CA
Schaefer SE, Van Loan M. “Acculturation and Diet in Asian and Hispanic Adolescent Females”, Experimental Biology, 2004, Washington DC
Community Service & Education
“Health Education for Youth: Basics & Lessons Learned.” RIVER Jan 2017
Consortium on “Nutrition and Self Care for a Healthy Baby.” Hypnobirthing Conclave 2016, San Diego, CA
Led training and education workshops on “Comites de Emergencia” Obstetric Emergency Management, Rural Health Care, Training of Trainers for >500 local students, health care workers, traditional birth attendants and misc. community personnel, Honduras, Central America; 2006-2008
Conferences Hosted
“Measuring Response to food: Phenotyping Tools and Targets" Foods for Health Institute, UC Davis
Research Projects
Principal Investigator, Validating a Nutrition Tracking Technology, Foods for Health Institute, University of California-Davis
Principal Investigator, Testing a Child Health Wearable, Foods for Health Institute, University of California-Davis
Principal Investigator, Get in STEP (Self Tracking Education Program): Freshman Health and Fitness Monitoring, Office of Student Affairs, University of California-Davis
Principal Investigator, Feasibility of Wearable Devices for Measuring Child Physical Activity. Foods for Health Institute, University of California-Davis
Co-Principal Investigator, The Infant MiND Study: An Examination of Infants' Microbiota, Nutrition, and Development, Mengniu Dair
Co-Principal Investigator, GETUP: Gaming to Educate Teens on Understanding Personal Health, National Science Foundation - Program in Cyberlearning and Future Technologies
Co-Principal Investigator, Understanding Food Choice, A Mixed Methods Approach, The Humanities Institute, University of California-Davis
Postdoctoral Scholar, Niños Sanos, Familia Sana (Healthy Children, Healthy Family), a Community based Obesity Prevention Program in Mexican-heritage Families in the Central Valley, USDA Agriculture & Food Research Initiative
Postdoctoral Scholar, Shaping Healthy Choices Project, University of California - Agriculture and Natural Resources
Teaching Highlights
Courses
Developed and co-taught an annual graduate course in Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), Community Based Research: Lessons Learned from California’s Communities, Department of Nutrition, UC Davis, 2012-2016
Academic Seminars
“Building Consumer Tools & Knowledge for Precision Health,” Food Science & Technology Graduate Seminar, Winter 2017, UC Davis
“Tools for Children’s Health Education & Research,” Nutritional Biology Graduate Group Seminar, Spring 2014, UC Davis
Guest Lecturer, “Children’s Health & Research Program” Introduction to Food Science, UC Davis. 2011-2015
Community Education & Service
USDA-funded Niños Sanos Familia Sana; 2011-2016
- Offered series of workshops in farmworker communities that are mostly Spanish speaking, on topics of women’s health, nutrition, stress management and yoga.
US Peace Corps, Honduras, Central America; 2006-2008
- Implemented infant growth monitoring program in 15 rural communities.
- Provided community education on health topics including HIV/AIDS, nutrition, infectious diseases, women’s health, sex education and family planning.
- Led national and community-based workshops on “Comites de Emergencia” Obstetric Emergency Management, Rural Health Care, Training of Trainers for >500 local students, health professionals, traditional birth attendants and community members.
Trainings and Certifications
Certified Energy Kinesiologist (CEnK), National Energy Kinesiology Association, 2019
Sports, Play & Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) Institute, 2012, San Diego, CA
Food & Health Entrepreneurship Academy, 2011, UC Davis Child Family Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Davis, CA
Media Training, 2011, University Communications, UC Davis, Davis, CA
Obstetric Emergencies and Management, Trainer of Trainers, 2006, Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. Peace Corps, La Esperanza, Honduras
U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer Training, 2006, Santa Lucia, Honduras
Spanish Language Immersion 2005, Celas Maya Center for Linguistics and Mayan Anthropology Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, Certified Technician, 2003, Oakland, California
Awards & Honors
First place, Food Hackathon + Forum, “Nutrition for all”. The Food Business School. San Francisco, CA 2015
Second place, Hackathon, “Feeding Fair”, World Expo in Milan, Italy, 2015
Undergraduate Funding Award for Biological Research
Memberships
American Society for Nutrition; Returned Peace Corp Volunteers of Northern California; Business Networking International; Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society