Laurie Gavilo-Lane
Assistant Professor
College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
PhD, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, PhD (candidate), Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, MPH, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, MSSW, University of Tennessee, Nashville, TN, MA, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, BA, Emory University, Atlanta Georgia
Location: Jack C. Massey Center 439
615.460.8677laurie.gavilolane@belmont.edu
Biography
Dr. Laurie Gavilo-Lane is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Public Health at Belmont University, where she has been a faculty member since 2022. A public health scholar, educator, and practitioner, she sits at the intersection of epidemiology, implementation science, and health equity — driven by an enduring commitment to improving outcomes for populations most often left behind by health and social systems.
Dr. Gavilo-Lane's research centers on addiction and substance use disorders, homelessness, poverty, and health disparities, with a focus on translating evidence into real-world interventions that work. Her scholarship is distinguished by its applied orientation: before entering academia, she co-owned and operated a Tennessee-licensed Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) clinic serving individuals with opioid use disorder, an experience that continues to shape her research questions, her advocacy, and her insistence that public health practice must be grounded in both rigor and humanity.
Her career spans academic medicine, clinical practice, government public health, and community-based research. She has served as Administrator for the Mayo Clinic International Health Scholarship Program and as Director of Clinical and Research Diversity Programs for the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education. Early in her career, she worked as an epidemiologist and program evaluator for the Louisiana Office of Public Health HIV/AIDS Program. During her doctoral training at Tulane University, she directed the Tulane Drop-In Center, where she developed, implemented, and evaluated programs serving youth experiencing homelessness, work that laid the foundation for her ongoing engagement with structural determinants of health and her deep commitment to community-engaged research.
In the classroom, Dr. Gavilo-Lane teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, health economics, research methods, and population health. Her teaching philosophy centers on the conviction that good public health education must cultivate not only analytical competence but also moral clarity, preparing students to think critically, act ethically, and lead with intelligence, integrity, courage, and purpose in service to others. She is known for creating learning environments that bridge scientific inquiry with community engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration.
An active scholar and community leader, Dr. Gavilo-Lane partners with healthcare systems, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies on research addressing behavioral health, social determinants of health, and health equity. Her work has been supported through federal, state, and foundation-funded initiatives focused on opioid response, interprofessional education, and community health improvement.
Her commitment to service extends well beyond the university. She volunteers regularly with Urban Housing Solutions, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, People Loving Nashville, and Blakemore United Methodist Church, organizations working at the frontlines of food insecurity, housing instability, and community well-being. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, where she helps advance research, policy, and advocacy for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Education
PhD, Tennessee State University
PhD (candidate), Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
MPH, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
MSSW, University of Tennessee
MA, State University of West Georgia
BA, Emory University
Food deserts and food insecurity
Homelessness and resource deserts
Hospice care
Mental health and social isolation
Music and medicine
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and harm reduction
Racial and ethnic health disparities
Student service-learning
Tax expenditures as social policy
TPHA Epidemiology Committee, Co-Chair
TPHA Tennessee Public Health Association
APHA American Public Health Association
NHCHC National Health Care for the Homeless Council, Board Member
NASW National Association of Social Workers
University of Tennessee Professional Promise Award
TIPS Merit Scholarship Recipient
Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Scholar
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Gavilo-Lane, L.B. April 2024. “College Service: Transforming Lives.” National Service-Learning Conference (NSLC). Minneapolis, MN
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Gavilo-Lane, L.B., Floyd, S., and Piatt, S. February 2024. “Civic Engagement and Social Change: College Service-Learning.” Tennessee Conference on Volunteerism and Service-Learning (TCVSL). Nashville, TN
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Gavilo-Lane, L.B., Ketel, C., and Pemberton, J. September 2022. “Moving Public Health Forward: Clinic Closure and Transportation Equity.” Tennessee Public Health Association (TPHA) Conference. Nashville, TN
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Streams, M.E. and Gavilo-Lane, L.B. October 2014. “State’s EITC Outreach Response to Federal Incentives: Impact on EITC filing and revenues.” Association for Budgeting and Financial Management (ABFM). Grand Rapids, MI.
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Gavilo-Lane, L.B. and Streams, M.E. September 2014. “State EITC Outreach: Policy that Makes Cents!” Southeastern Conference for Public Administration. Atlanta, GA
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Gavilo-Lane, L.B., Streams, M.E. October 2012. “Intergovernmental Institutional Isomorphism and Variability: Examination of State Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Legislation.” Southeastern Conference for Public Administration.
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Gavilo, L.B. October 2004. “Street-Dependent Injection Drug Using Youth.” National Harm Reduction Conference.
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Gavilo, L.B. (presenting), Haywood, D., and Tutela, N. July 2003. “Making the Point: Syringe Access, Disposal & Harm Reduction.” National Harm Reduction Conference. Atlanta, GA.
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Gavilo, L.B. (presenting), and Camargo, R. July 2003. “Street Smart Peer Program.” National HIV Prevention Conference. Atlanta, GA.
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Gavilo, L.B. (presenting). February 2003. “Street-Dependent Youth.” Ryan White National Youth Conference. Dallas, Texas.
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Gavilo, L.B. (presenting). June 2002. “Adolescents and Homelessness.” National Health Care for the Homeless Conference. Chicago, IL.
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Cunningham, K., Gavilo-Lane, L., Gonzalez, F. (September, 24, 2026). Title: Plugging the Leaks: Evaluation of Nonprofit Diaper Distribution After Tennessee’s Medicaid/CHIP Expansion. Tennessee Public Health Association (TPHA) Conference. Murfreesboro, TN.
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Henneman, A., Frame, T., and Gavilo-Lane, L. (June 8 – 11, 2026). Poverty Simulation: Closing the Empathy Gap in Healthcare. National Healthcare for the Homeless “Rising Together” 2026 Conference. Orlando, FL.
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Gonzalez, F., and Gavilo-Lane, L. (March 26 - 28, 2026). Map, Measure, Mobilize – Building Evidence-Ready Service-Learning. Gulf South Summit. 2026 Annual Conference. Houston, Texas
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Gonzalez, F., and Gavilo-Lane, L. (March 18 – 20, 2026). Addressing SDoH through Public Health Service-Learning. Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). 2026 Annual Conference. Arlington, VA
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Gonzalez, F., Frame, T., Henneman, A., and Gavilo-Lane, L. (March 18 – 20, 2026). Shifting Perceptions of Poverty and Interprofessional Teams. Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) 2026 Annual Conference. Arlington, VA
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Gavilo-Lane, L., Gonzalez, F., and Harvey, M. (September 18, 2025). The Community Classroom: Addressing SDoH through Public Health Service-Learning. Tennessee Public Health (TPHA) 2025 Annual Conference. Murfreesboro, TN.
2021 Vanderbilt Health Equity, Community Health Improvement Mini-Grant
2008 NIH Short-Term Training Program to Increase Diversity in Health-Related Research; RFA-HL-05-018
2005 CDC - HIV/AIDS Prevention; Announcement: 06407
2005 - 2010 HRSA - Service Expansion of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and Oral Health in Programs; HRSA-04-103, CFDA #: 93.224
2004 Louisiana Department of Health - HIV/AIDS Prevention
2004 Louisiana Department of Health - HIV/AIDS Prevention – Special Projects
2005 UNITY for the Homeless - Case Management/Drop-In Center Funding
2001 - 2006 Administration on Children, Youth, and Families - Street Outreach Program - HHS-2001-ACF-ACYF-YO-0105 CFDA #: 93.557