Laura B. Frank, Ph.D., R.D., LDN

Laura B. Frank, Ph.D., R.D.N., L.D.N. (she, her, hers), is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Urban Public Health and Nutrition. Dr. Frank has more than 30 years of university teaching experience; she was presented with the Outstanding Dietetic Educator award by both the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Pennsylvania Dietetic Association in 2013.  

Dr. Frank has published and presented extensively to professional and community groups in her areas of expertise.  She is the Coordinator of La Salle’s student food pantry, The Basket, and is active in many Philadelphia area food security agencies and coalitions.  Dr. Frank was a presenter for the former EPIC Pediatric Obesity and Pediatric Food Insecurity initiatives of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and served on the Advisory Board for these programs.  She has written and administered grants from the Commonwealth of PA Hunger-Free Campus Initiative, Leo & Peggy Pierce Foundation, Philadelphia Department of Sustainability, Pew Foundation, Pennsylvania Department of Health and National Institutes of Health, Project PA (joint project of Pennsylvania Department of Education and Pennsylvania State University), and PANA (Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity).  She is an invited reviewer for the Journals of American College Health, Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, Dietetic Education, and Frontiers in Nutrition.  Dr. Frank has been teaching at La Salle since 2015.  She was awarded the La Salle Faculty Distinguished Service Award in 2022. 

Areas of Expertise 

Food Security/Food Justice/Sustainable Food Systems 

Health counseling 

Nutrition education program development and assessment 

Nutrition research methods and implementation 

Feeding issues related to neurological disabilities and learning differences 

Education

PhD, 1994, Temple University, Philadelphia PA, Health Education/Counseling, Russell Conwell honorary teaching fellow

MEd, 1986, Temple University, Philadelphia PA, Counseling Psychology

MPH, 1978, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, Public Health

BS, 1976, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, Public Health

Professional Credentials

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist 

Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

Licensed Psychologist, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

Teaching

NUTR 165 Principles of Nutrition

NUTR 420 Nutrition Education and Counseling

NUTR 440 Capstone in Nutrition

NUTR 441 Food and Culture

NUTR 440 Sustainable Food Systems and Food Justice

NUTR 480 Nutrition Research

Select Scholarship

Frank, L.B., Finkbinder, E.M., Powell, V. S. (2021) “Free Food on Campus!”:  A Novel Use of Instructional Technology to Reduce University Food Waste and Feed Hungry Students, Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2020.1850389 

Frank, L.B. (2020) “Free Food on Campus!”:  Using Instructional Technology to Reduce University Food Waste and Student Food Insecurity, Journal of American College Health, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1846042 

Frank, L. (2020) “Filling the Basket: Addressing Student Food Insecurity at Lasallian Institutions of Higher Learning.” AXIS: Journal of Lasallian Higher Education 11, no. 2 (Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota: 2020).  

Frank, LB & Emery, E (2019) Student Research as Change Agent. Annual Meeting of the Nutrition and Dietetics Educators and Preceptors Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  

Frank, LB (2019) Cultural Competence in Nutrition Education. Annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Chapter, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

Frank, LB (2017) Pediatric Obesity Prevention and Treatment—the PA-AAP EPIC Program.  Annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Chapter, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  

Professional Affiliations

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 

Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 

PhillyAND 

Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors, Dietetics Practice Group 

Nutrition Research, Dietetics Practice Group 

Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, Dietetics Practice Group 

Pennsylvania Psychological Association