Ashley Licata received her undergraduate education in Nutrition and Dietetics here at Samford University. She then completed a combined Master’s and Dietetic Internship at Georgia State University. She moved back to Birmingham to complete her PhD at UAB. Her doctoral research focused on the relationships between nutrient timing, body composition, and performance in athletes. While at UAB, Ashley worked for the athletics department as a sports dietitian. She then worked at Winthrop University as an assistant professor in Nutrition and Dietetics. Coming back to Samford allows her to combine her passions of evidenced-based nutrition and hands-on education for health care professionals. In her free time, Ashley enjoys cooking and traveling with her husband John, a pediatrician.
Degrees and Certifications
- PhD, Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- MS, Nutrition Coordinated Program, Georgia State University
- Dietetic Internship, Nutrition Coordinated Program, Georgia State University
- BS, Nutrition and Dietetics, Samford University
Involvement
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Alabama Dietetic Association
- Birmingham District Dietetic Association
- Young Life South Africa
Awards and Honors
- First Place Overall Poster, SCAND Annual Meeting, 2020
- Georgia State University Outstanding Nutrition Graduate Student Award 2014
- Alabama Dietetic Association Outstanding Senior 2013
- Samford University Most Outstanding Nutrition Senior 2013
Recent Publications
Moody, L, Crowder, S, Fruge, A.D., Locher, J.L., Demark-Wahnefried, W, Rogers, L.Q., Delk-Licata, A, Carroll, W.R., Spencer, S.A., Black, M., Erdman Jr., JW, Chen, H, Pan, Y,. Arthur, A.E. Epigenetic stratification of head and neck cancer survivors reveals differences in lycopene levels, alcohol consumption, and methylation of immune regulatory genes. Clinical Epigenetics. 2020; 12:138: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-020-00930-5
Behrens, C.E., Delk-Licata, A., Benardot, D., Bertrand, B.M., Chandler-Laney, P.C., Plaisance, E.P., & Fernández, J.R. (2019). The relationship between hourly energy balance and fat mass in female collegiate soccer players. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, in press. doi: https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2020.154.02
Delk-Licata A, Behrens CE, Chandler-Laney PC, Bertrand B, Benardot D, and Plaisance EP. The association between dietary protein intake frequency, amount, and state of energy balance on body composition in a women’s collegiate soccer team. International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine. 2019; 5(123): https://doi.org/10.23937/2469-5718/1510123.
Bellissimo MP, Licata AD, Nucci A, Thompson W, and Benardot D. Relationship between hourly energy balance and body composition in professional cheerleaders. Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise. 2019; https://doi.org/10.1007/s42978-019-0004-9
Crowder SL, Frugé AD, Douglas KG, Chen YT, Moody L, Delk-Licata A, Erdman JW Jr, Black M, Carroll WR, Spencer SA, Locher JL, Demark-Wahnefried W, Rogers LQ, Arthur AE. Feasibility Outcomes of a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial to Increase Cruciferous and Green Leafy Vegetable Intake in Posttreatment Head and Neck Cancer Survivors. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2019 Apr;119(4):659-671. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2018.11.005.
Arthur AE, Delk A, Demark-Wahnefried W, Christein JD, Contreras C, Posey JA 3rd, Vickers S, Oster R, Rogers LQ. (2016). Pancreatic cancer survivors' preferences, barriers, and facilitators related to physical activity and diet interventions. Journal of Cancer Survivorship. (PMID: 27138993)
Research Areas
- Interactions between nutrition, body composition, and athletic performance
- Food insecurity and the impact of nutrition and gardening interventions