Brock, Donna Jean, M.S.

Research Program Director
M.A., Experimental Psychology, Wake Forest University, 1994

Tel: 434-962-5870
E-mail: djbrock@virginia.edu
16 E. Main St.
Christiansburg, Virginia 24073

With more than 30 years of experience in academic and healthcare settings, Donna Brock has contributed to research and evaluation initiatives spanning youth substance use prevention, military family resilience, and chronic disease prevention. As a Research Program Officer in Dr. Jamie Zoellner’s lab at the University of Virginia, she works to coordinate federally funded  research projects; support grant development; guide study implementation; oversee data collection, management, and analysis; cultivate key stakeholder partnerships; and assist in efforts to disseminate findings. Ms. Brock shares the lab’s commitment to engaging community stakeholders throughout the research process with an interest in the application of Community-Based Participatory Research approaches. Other research interests include: digital behavioral health interventions, health and media literacy, rural health, health behavior theory, and behavior change techniques.

Recent Publications:

• Porter KJ, Brock DJ, Reid AL, Markwalter T, Jones C, Ritterband LM, Zoellner JM. Participants’ experiences with and perceptions of a digital health intervention to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage intake: A mixed methods summative evaluation of iSIPsmarter”. Internet Interventions. 2026 Feb 18:100921.
• Zoellner JM, You W, Porter K, Reid AL, Brock DJ, Markwalter T, Frederick C, Tate DF, Ritterband L. A digital behavioral intervention to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: a randomized, controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2025 Aug 1;122(2):544-55.
• Reid A, You W, Markwalter T, Porter K, Brock DJ, Chow P, Ritterband L, Zoellner J. Maintenance of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Behaviors Among Adolescents and Their Caregivers: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Preventing Chronic Disease. 2025 Jun 12;22:E26.
• Brock DJ, Ritterband LM, You W, Reid AL, Porter KJ, Markwalter T, Zoellner JM. An exploratory study to understand how rurality status and demographic characteristics are associated with enrollment, engagement, and retention in a digital health intervention targeting the Appalachian region. The Journal of Rural Health. 2025 Mar;41(2):e70042.
• Kirkpatrick BM, Brock DJ, Reid AL, Porter KJ, Markwalter TH, You W, Chow PI, Ritterband L, Zoellner J. An SMS intervention to reduce caregiver’s sugar-sweetened beverages: impacts on theoretical constructs and parenting practices from a randomized controlled trial in rural appalachia. Journal of Nutritional Science. 2025 Jan;14:e91.
• Zoellner JM, Porter KJ, Reid A, Markwalter T, Kirkpatrick B, Brock DJ, You W. Comparison of Researcher-Led versus Teacher-Led effectiveness and fidelity: A Hybrid Type 1 study of Kids SIP smart ER in Appalachia middle schools. Translational Behavioral Medicine. 2024 Oct;14(10):578-87.
• Reid AL, Porter KJ, Kirkpatrick BM, Brock DJ, Altizer CJ, Zoellner JM. Student and caregiver acceptability of a school-based intervention to improve sugar-sweetened beverage behaviors: a mixed methods study. Health Education Research. 2024 Aug;39(4):339-50.
• Kirkpatrick B, Brock DJ, Reid A, Porter K, You W, Markwalter T, Zoellner J. An SMS Intervention to Reduce Caregiver’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake: Impacts on Theoretical Constructs. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2024 Aug 1;56(8):S15.
• Brock DJ, Markwalter T, Li L, Venkatesh S, Helms C, Reid A, Zoellner JM. Exploring biorepository donation patterns, experiences, and recommendations: a mixed-methods study among Appalachian adults enrolled in a sugary drink reduction program. Frontiers in Public Health. 2024 May 9;12:1371768.
• Yuhas M, Brock DJ, Ritterband LM, Chow PI, Porter KJ, Zoellner JM. Retention and engagement of rural caregivers of adolescents in a short message service intervention to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage intake. Digital Health. 2023 Mar;9:20552076231160324.
• Brock DJ, Yuhas M, Porter KJ, Chow PI, Ritterband LM, Tate DF, Zoellner JM. Outcomes of a Caregiver-Focused Short Message Service (SMS) Intervention to Reduce Intake of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in Rural Caregivers and Adolescents. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 19;15(8):1957.
• Kirkpatrick BM, Porter KJ, Reid AL, Brock D, Markwalter TH, Zoellner JM. Associations of Body Mass Index with Self‐Rated Health and Weight Perceptions Among Rural Appalachian Adolescent Students. Journal of School Health. 2023 Aug 6.
• Wise Thomas S, Blackwell Young C, Zoellner J, Brock DJ, Isom S, Vitolins M. Feasibility of an Adapted Community-Based Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Cancer in the Rural South: Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Cancer (HELP PC). Journal of Cancer Education. 2022 Jan 25:1-8.
• Zoellner JM, You W, Hill JL, Brock DJ, Yuhas M, Price B, Wilson J, Montague DR, Estabrooks PA. Comparing two different family‐based childhood obesity treatment programmes in a medically underserved region: Effectiveness, engagement and implementation outcomes from a randomized controlled trial. Pediatric Obesity. 2022 15:e12840.
• Zoellner JM, Porter KJ, Brock DJ, Mitchell EM, Chapman H, Clarkston D, Cohn W, Hauser L, Morris DW, Ramey SY, Robinson B. Advancing engagement and capacity for rural cancer control: a mixed-methods case study of a Community-Academic Advisory Board in the Appalachia region of Southwest Virginia. Research Involvement and Engagement. 2021 Dec;7(1):1-6.
• Zoellner JM, Porter KJ, You W, Reid AL, Frederick C, Hilgart M, Brock DJ, Tate DF, Ritterband LM. Study protocol for iSIPsmarter: A randomized-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy, reach, and engagement of a technology-based behavioral intervention to reduce sugary beverages among rural Appalachian adults. Contemporary Clinical Trials. 2021 Nov 1;110:106566.
• Brock D, Estabrooks P, Yuhas M, Wilson J, Montague DR, Price B, Elliot K, Hill J, Zoellner J. Assets and challenges to recruiting and engaging families in a childhood obesity treatment research trial: Insights from academic partners, community partners, and study participants. Frontiers in Public Health. 2021 Feb 22;9:100
• Alexander R, Brock D, Estabrooks P, Hill J, Whitt-Glover M, Zoellner J. Capacity development and evaluation of a parent advisory team engaged in obesity research. Health Promotion Practice, 22(1):102-11, 2021. PMID: 31409144