Alena M. Clark, Ph.D., MPH, RDN, CLC, is an assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University and a nationally recognized expert in maternal and child nutrition, lactation support and public health nutrition. She earned her Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from Colorado State University and her Master of Public Health in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Minnesota, where she completed specialized maternal and child nutrition training through competitive fellowship programs. As a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified lactation counselor with nearly three decades of professional experience, Clark combines academic expertise, clinical practice and public health perspectives to improve nutrition outcomes for women, infants, children and families.
Clark’s research focuses on breastfeeding and lactation support, infant and child nutrition, food insecurity, nutrition access, women’s health and community-based nutrition interventions. Her work has examined topics ranging from breastfeeding support in childcare settings and universities to food security among people with disabilities, maternal nutrition, menopause nutrition and nutrition education strategies that promote long-term health. She has led and contributed to numerous funded research and outreach projects and has published extensively in leading nutrition, maternal health and public health journals.
In addition to her academic and research activities, Clark has extensive global health experience providing nutrition and lactation education, workforce training and program development in Ecuador, Cambodia, Cameroon and other international settings. She is a frequent speaker on topics including breastfeeding and infant feeding, maternal and child health, food insecurity, women’s health, nutrition policy and global nutrition. Her work bridges research and practice, making complex nutrition issues accessible to diverse audiences while advancing evidence-based approaches that support healthier communities locally and around the world.
Areas of expertise
- Breastfeeding and lactation support
- Infant and child nutrition
- Maternal nutrition and pregnancy
- Women’s health and menopause nutrition
- Nutrition and disability
- Public health nutrition
- Nutrition education and behavior change
- Global nutrition and international health
- Community nutrition programs and evaluation
- Dietetics education and workforce development