Overview
Asheley Cockrell Skinner, PhD, is a health services researcher whose work addresses a variety of population health issues, particularly implementation of programs to improve the health of vulnerable populations. She is currently a Professor in Population Health Sciences at Duke University. She received her PhD in 2007 in Health Policy and Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A nationally-known expert in childhood obesity, her work uses a data-driven approach to understand pediatric obesity and improve implementation of evidence-based treatment. She applies this implementation science approach to other populations, including those with opioid use disorder and people who use drugs. In addition to her many roles in research, she also currently serves as the Director of Graduate Studies for Population Health Sciences, directs multiple training programs, and actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students, fellows, and junior faculty.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Nutrition and obesity in under-represented population (NOURISH): study protocol to examine the effect of restricted and unrestricted financial benefits on infant food insecurity, growth, and nutrition.
Journal Article BMC Pediatr · January 10, 2026 Full text Link to item CiteParent Perspectives on the 2023 Clinical Practice Guideline for Pediatric Obesity: A Mixed-Methods Study of Acceptance and Concerns.
Journal Article Pediatr Obes · January 2026 BACKGROUND: The 2023 Clinical Practice Guideline for pediatric obesity recommends immediate, intensive treatment, including behavioral therapy, medications, and surgery when indicated. Understanding parental agreement with the guideline is critical for suc ... Full text Link to item CiteThe influence of acculturation and stress on obesity in US latino dyads using systems science.
Journal Article Ethn Health · October 2025 OBJECTIVE: Pediatric obesity continues to grow in the US Latino population despite public health efforts. Little work has explored the link between acculturation and stress across caregiver-child dyads using systems science. METHODS: Semi-structured interv ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Real world use of anti-obesity medications to treat adolescent obesity: moving beyond the clinical trial
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2029Implementing evidence-based obesity treatment for adolescents in primary care: an EHR-integrated implementation toolkit for diabetes prevention
ResearchMentor · Awarded by American Diabetes Association · 2025 - 2028Supporting Safe and Effective GLP-1 Prescribing in Pediatric Primary Care
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by American Heart Association · 2025 - 2028View All Grants