Jessica Whiteley
Professor
617.287.3807
Biography
Jessica Whiteley, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Urban Public Health and Senior Associate Dean at UMass Boston’s Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences. She has led or co-led over 15 NIH-funded studies and published close to 60 papers on digital health and behavior change. Her leadership includes strategic planning, inclusive practices, and student success initiatives such as the CLCDN and peer mentoring programs.
Area of Expertise
Research: Health Promotion Interventions, Health Equity, Digital Health, Person-Centered Approaches
Teaching: Health Behavior Change, Motivational Interviewing, Teaching Pedagogy, Intervention Design
Degrees
PhD, Clinical Psychology, Virginia Tech
MS, Clinical Psychology, Virginia Tech
BA, Psychology (major), Spanish (minor), Bates College
Post-doctoral Fellowship, Brown Medical School
Fellow, Society of Behavioral Medicine
Professional Publications & Contributions
Additional Information
Dr. Whiteley’s work is guided by a commitment to advancing health equity and fostering inclusive environments that support the success of students from all backgrounds. She is dedicated to teaching and mentorship, preparing the next generation of health professionals and researchers.
Her research focuses on theory-based interventions to promote healthy behaviors such as physical activity, weight management, and smoking cessation, particularly among women and adolescent girls. With more than 15 NIH-funded studies as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator and nearly 60 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Whiteley has advanced the field by developing and testing digital health approaches that expand reach and increase public health impact.
In addition to her research, Dr. Whiteley has held administrative leadership roles as Chair of the Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, Associate Dean for Research, and Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. She has facilitated strategic planning for the Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences and student success initiatives, including the Clinical Leadership Collaborative for Diversity in Nursing (CLCDN), a collaborative with Mass General Brigham, and the Nurses Connect peer mentoring program, funded by the Linde Family Foundation. These initiatives reflect her commitment to building partnerships that create pathways for students in nursing, public health, and exercise and health sciences.