Dr. Joey Lightner is an Assistant Professor and Program Director of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology, Master of Public Health with an emphasis in physical activity, and PhD in Kinesiology from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Dr. Lightner presents locally and nationally on topics related to public health and physical activity. Dr. Lightner’s research is focused on increasing physical activity for large populations. His current projects attempt to understand how to improve social relationships that may lead to improvements in physical activity behavior. In the past, Dr. Lightner has conducted studies on community capacity building, active transportation, LGBT health, health inequity, and several other areas. Dr. Lightner enjoys improv, Sporting KC matches, hiking, kayaking, SUP boarding, skydiving, and, of course, anything that has to do with physical activity.
Communities leading change: Advancing Black and Latino capacity to create nutrition and physical activity environmental and systems change (2023), PI: Lightner, Grimes, & Shook. CDC, Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) funded project to understand and implement T4 translational research to improve physical activity, nutrition, and weight status among African American and Latinos in Kansas City.
Outcome: Funded Amount: $3,595,040 Role: Co-PI
Funding for Zero-Fare: Evaluating the Health and Economic Impacts (2022), PI: Lightner & Grimes.
Department of Transportation funded study to understand sustainability for zero-fare transit.
Outcome: Funded Amount: $500,000 Role: Co-PI
Active Lab: Community-Based Fitness to Prevent Chronic Disease (2023). PI: Lightner & Grimes. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funded project to understand T4 translation of community fitness programs to reduce health inequity in communities of color.
Outcome: Funded Amount: $123,878 Role: Co-PI
Active Lab: Move More Get More (2023), PI: Lightner & Grimes. Move More Get More attempts to understand implementation and T4 translation of evidence-based physical activity after school programs for adolescents.
Outcome: Funded Amount: $215,700 Role: Co-PI
Lightner, J.S., Moore, E., Barnhart, T., Rajabiun, S. (2024). Cost and activity analysis of patient navigation for person with HIV: Comparing health department and health clinic delivered interventions. Health Promotion Practice. Doi:10.1177/154282999241245059.
Lightner, J.S., Schneider, J., Grimes, A., Wigginton, M., Curran, L., Gleason, T., Prochnow, T. (2024). Physical activity among transgender individuals: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. PLoS ONE 19(2): e0297571. https://doi.org/10.1271/journal.pone.0297571
Lightner, J.S., Valleroy, E., Todd, R., Eighmy, K., & Grimes, A. (2023). Cost utility analysis of an after-school sports sampling program in diverse, low-resourced schools in the Midwest. American Journal of Health Promotion. Doi: 10.1177/08901171231210386
Lightner, J.S., Chestnut, S., Cory, T., Sellers, S., Woods, L., Skarbek, A., Willis-Smith, N., Valleroy, E., Colbert, S., & Witt, J. (2023). Changes in HIV knowledge and interest among nursing and public health students at a large Midwest University: Outcomes of implementing the National HIV Curriculum. Nurse Education Today. Doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105802.
Lightner, J.S., Collinson, S., & Grimes, A. (2023). Cost analysis of a culturally appropriate, community-delivered intervention to increase physical activity. American Journal of Health Promotion. Doi: 10.1177/08901171231158098.
Lightner, J.S., Ziegler, N., Fortin, K., Collie-Akers, V. (2023). Community health improvement plans and physical activity implementation strategies: findings from a cross-sectional survey of US local health departments. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. 29(2):120-127. Doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001696.
Valleroy, E., Reed, A., & Lightner, J.S. (2023). Population-level predictors of sexually transmitted infection rates in Missouri: An ecological study. Archives of Public Health, 81(1). Doi: 10.1186/s13690-011-01019-6.
Lightner, J.S., Eighmy, K., Valleroy, E., Wray, B., & Grimes, A. (2023). The effectiveness of an after-school sports sampling intervention on urban middle school youth in the Midwest: A post-test only study. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting. Doi: 10.2196/42265
Lightner, J.S., Ziegler, N., & Collie-Akers, V. (2023). Community health improvement plans and physical activity implementation strategies: Findings from a cross-sectional survey of US local health departments. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 29(2):120-127. Doi:10.1097/PHH.00000000001696
B.S., Kansas State University
M.P.H., Kansas State University
Ph.D., Kansas State University