Dr. Tiffany Crank is a trailblazer in the field of public health dedicated to promoting health equity and bridging healthcare gaps for the medically underserved. She has over 12 years of experience as a leader in public health, disease prevention, and community engagement. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from North Carolina State University in 2008 and her Master of Public Health with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Science from Capella University in 2013. She completed her Doctor of Public Health at the University of South Florida in 2023, where she was initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society.
As the Director of Health Equity and Community Impact for the American Diabetes Association, she oversees diabetes awareness, screening, and prevention programming within the Carolinas. In a former role as the Health Promotion and Community Outreach Manager for Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, she played a significant role in helping lead and build a department that is recognized on a national level as an innovator among community cancer centers. Throughout her career, she has successfully led many initiatives that have helped change the course of public health. She has presented nationally on her work implementing SNAP benefit acceptance to local farmers markets, as well as on her work with developing Code T.O.M., a one-of-its-kind firefighter cancer education and prevention program. Dr. Crank also served as lead for the development of a novel, 3-year disparities fellowship curriculum that trained early-career oncology physicians to view care through a health equity lens, offering an informed understanding of how care disparities, bias and racism have negatively influenced treatment and outcomes for these patients. Dr. Crank’s current research projects and interest are largely in health equity, health disparities, root cause solutions for social determinants of health, and overcoming medical mistrust in communities of color.
Her natural passion for helping all individuals lead a high-quality life has earned her numerous honors. Most notably, she has been awarded the Candy Airey Leadership Award presented by the Cleveland County YMCA, the Good Ambassador Award from the Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services, and the Distinguished Woman of the Year presented by the Cleveland County Commission for Women. Dr. Crank has served/serves on over a dozen national, state, and local boards and workgroups that are focused on health and wellness in local communities.
When she is not fulfilling her role as a servant leader and patient advocate, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Brandon, and raising her two incredible children, Kendrick and Karsyn.
Education
- Doctor of Public Health - Concentration Advanced Leadership - University of South Florida (2023)
- Master of Public Health - Concentration Social and Behavioral Science - Capella University (2013)
- Bachelor of Science - Microbiology - North Carolina State University (2008)
Area of Expertise
- Health Equity
- Health Education
- Community Programming
Community Engagement
- Atrium Health Minority Cancer Advisory Council - 2018- Current
- Cleveland County Community Health Assessment Core Planning Committee 2023
- The Minority Health Council of Cleveland County (Vice Chair) 2016 - Current
- Cleveland County Family YMCA Association Board of Directors 2022 - Current
- Dover Foundation YMCA Board of Directors (Chair) 2017 - Current
- United Way of Rutherford County Board of Directors (Former Board Chair) 2019 – Current
- Cleveland County C.O.R.E. Group (Member) 2020 – Current
- Cancer Services for Rutherford County (Committee Chair) 2017 - 2023
- The Rutherford County Community Health Council (Chair of Subcommittee) 2017 - 2023
- Cleveland County Alliance for Health Board of Directors (Member) 2018 - 2021
- Atrium Cleveland Breast Cancer Center Leadership Committee 2019 – 2023
- ACCES of Cleveland County (Workgroup) 2016 – 2018
- Journey (End of Life Issues Workgroup) 2016 – 2018
Publications/Presentations
Crank, T. (2015) Implementing SNAP Benefit Acceptance Within a Local Farmers Market, Oral presentation at the Southern Obesity Summit, Jackson, MI.
Crank, T., et al. (2019), Code TOM [Firefighters] Taking on Melanoma and Other High Risk Cancers, Poster presentation at the American Society of Preventive Oncology, Tampa, FL.
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
- The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Awards
- Distinguished Woman of the Year presented by the Cleveland County Commission for Women
- Ivy Award - Empowering Our Families presented by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
- Candy Aery Leadership Award presented by the Cleveland County YMCA
- Good Ambassador Award from the Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services