Background

Erika Karle earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Master of Science in Health Promotion from the University of Kentucky and is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Promotion. As a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), she brings expertise in health promotion, program planning, research coordination, and community-engaged health initiatives.

As Research Program Manager, Erika supports the College of Nursing's Center for Advancing Chronic Care Outcomes through Research and Innovation (ACORN) by providing strategic and operational leadership for research projects. She conducts fieldwork to support the center's research, oversees study implementation and regulatory processes, coordinates stakeholder and community partnerships, and contributes to the dissemination and translation of research findings to advance chronic disease prevention and management.

Publications

Karle, E. R., Cozart, D. B., Abu Farsakh, B., Afolayan, V., Ebikwo, T., Brooks, M., Williams, L.B. (2025) Challenges and Lessons Learned While Conducting a Diabetes Prevention Program Among Black Churches During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Health Promotion Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399251353516

Williams, L.B. , Abu Farsakh, B., Karle, E., Almogheer, Zainab S., Coughlin S., Yeary, K.K. (2024)How Effective Are Church-Based Weight Loss Interventions Among Black Adults? A Systematic Review.J. Obesity. DOI: 10.1002/oby.24115   

Williams, L.B., Moser, D.K., Gustafson, A., Waters T. M., Rayens, M. K., Karle, E., Kriska, A. M. (2022)Reaching High-Risk Black Adults for Diabetes Prevention Programming During a Pandemic: The Design of Fit & Faithful a Randomized Controlled Community Trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials. 123. DOI:10.1016/j.cct.2022.106973