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PORTLAND, Maine

Karen O'Rourke joins UNE Center for Community and Public Health

The University of New England has named Karen O'Rourke as deputy director for program development at UNE's Center for Community and Public Health, located at UNE's Portland Campus.

In her role, O'Rourke coordinates the Maine-Harvard Prevention Research Center, an obesity-related research and research translation program in partnership with the Harvard Prevention Research Center and the state health department.  She also works on initiatives of the Center for Community and Public Health and with the Graduate Programs in Public Health. 

Prior to her arrival at UNE, O'Rourke spent 25 years within various public health agencies and organizations including a public health institute, state and local health departments and a national voluntary health organization.  Her special interest is in public health policy where she has held leadership positions in efforts to increase tobacco tax, restrict smoking in public buildings, eliminate soda and junk food in schools, prohibit advertising of junk food on school grounds, fluoridate community water supplies, and require menu labeling at chain restaurants.  She received her bachelor's degree from the University of California -Berkeley and her master's in public health from San Jose State University.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.