Julie M. Croff, PhD, MPH, FAAHB is a Professor of Rural Health at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and Director of the Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Adversity (CIRCA). A trained health behavior scientist, Dr. Croff’s work focuses on the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders, with a particular emphasis on maternal and child health, prenatal substance exposure, and the biological and behavioral impacts of early adversity.

Dr. Croff serves in national leadership roles including Immediate Past President of the American Academy of Health Behavior and Co-Chair of the Biospecimen Work Group for the NIH HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, a large-scale, longitudinal birth cohort examining early brain development and substance exposure. Her research integrates epidemiology, clinical trials, and implementation science to improve outcomes for underserved populations, including rural communities, women, and families affected by substance use.

She has led or contributed to more than $30 million in federally funded research and large-scale evaluation efforts and has published extensively on substance use, adverse childhood experiences, and health behavior. She has been continuously funded by NIH for over a decade. Dr. Croff is a Fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior and has received multiple awards for research excellence and leadership. She is committed to translating science into practice to improve the health and well-being of children, families, and communities.