Cynthia Perry is the Elizabeth N. Gray Distinguished Professor at Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing. Her research focuses on physical activity promotion as an avenue to improving health equity within rural and Latino communities using a community-based participatory research approach. She also has expertise in dissemination and implementation research of public health programming  in rural communities. She works on multidisciplinary national research teams and networks as well as with local communities.  She is a family nurse practitioner and is a fellow of the American Heart Association.