PhD, Johns Hopkins University
Kim Hekimian, PhD is Associate Professor of Nutrition in Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology,
and Nutrition) and the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center. There,
she is the Director of the Master of Science in Nutrition program. She is also the Associate Director
of Education for the Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons (VP&S) Program in Education in
Global and Population Health. Dr. Hekimian teaches courses in global health, public health nutrition
and research methods at VP&S and the IHN. She is a member of the Virginia Apgar Society of
Medical Educators and a recipient of the Columbia University Provost Award for Hybrid Learning
Course Redesign for Research Methods in Global Health.
Previously, she served as the Associate Director of the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program as
well as Founder and Director of the Center for Health Services Research at AUA CHS. At CHS, she
continues to teach coursework in nutrition and public health and mentors MPH students.
Dr. Hekimian received her PhD in Health Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health with
a concentration in Behavioral Science and Health Education. Her research has focused on maternal
and child nutrition with a special interest in infant and young child feeding. She was the PI for a
multi-year national breastfeeding campaign in the Republic of Armenia through partnerships with
the Ministry of Health, USAID and UNICEF.
In Spring 2020, she co-organized a Public Health Working Group for Armenia during the time of
COVID-19. This group of epidemiologists, biostatisticians, public health policy makers and risk
communication experts from academic centers around the globe supports efforts of the Ministry of
Health of the Republic of Armenia in health system strengthening activities.
Currently, Dr. Hekimian is an advisor to the Minister of Health through a supported partnership for
health policy development by the Applied Policy Research Institute of Armenia (APRI) and the
Health Network for Armenia (HENAR). Her work focuses on developing nutrition policies and
programs as well as perinatal care reforms to improve maternal mortality, cesarean deliveries, and
post-partum care practices to promote exclusive breastfeeding.