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Natalie M. Collins, M.P.H.
Public health coordinator / Research
"... in Public Health, we've begun to recognize the importance of bicycling and other physical activity in preventing some of the most prevalent causes of ill health ...
Would there be a childhood obesity epidemic if all kids could walk or bike safely to school? Would heart disease be the #2 cause of death in Minnesota if it were common to ride your bike to the library or store? Would elderly people be as isolated if there were places to meet that didn't require arriving by car?
Being healthfully active shouldn't mean that a person needs to join a fitness center or set aside special time to exercise - even minor changes in the physical environment can enable and encourage people to incorporate moderate physical activity into their daily routines ..."
Natalie Collins is a Community Design Group Partner. As a public health expert, and public policy and urban planning practitioner, her focus is on working with communities to create and support walkable, accessible and inviting human environments that encourage healthier living for all people.
Natalie has extensive government and public policy experience, having served as a policy aide for the Minneapolis City Council for five years before joining Community Design Group. Much of her work at Minneapolis City Hall focused on supporting public health initiatives and on the creation of pedestrian-oriented environments and policies. She was recently featured in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health's alumni magazine for her role in the formulation and adoption of the City of Minneapolis smoking ordinance.
Natalie is also an experienced public health researcher, having worked as an epidemiologist for the Minnesota Department of Health's Center for Health Statistics. She is a member of the Community Health Planning and Policy Development Secton of the American Public Health Association (APHA), and her work has been selected for publication in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.
She is currently working on a University of Minnesota research study examining the economic and public safety consequences of Clean Indoor Air ordinances.
Select Project Experience
- Research and Design, City of Edina Comprehensive Bicycle Transportation Plan, Edina, Minnesota
- Project Coordinator, Clean Indoor Air Consequences Study
- Assessment of Injury Hazards on North Metro Elementary School Playgrounds
- Minnesota Health Status Reports, Minnesota Department of Health
Education
- Master of Public Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 2005
- Bachelor of Arts, Arts, Health and Society, University of Rochester, New York, 1998
Memberships
- Professional member, Minnesota Public Health Association (MPHA)
- Professional member, American Public Health Association (APHA)
- Organizational member, Complete the Streets Coalition