Dr. Catherine Heinlein is an Associate Professor in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. With degrees in leadership, nursing, and nutrition, she brings a unique, integrated approach to patient care and instruction, drawn from over 25 years of college-level teaching. Her clinical and research work is focused on diabetes prevention and management. As a Fulbright scholar, she developed a "train-the-trainer" model in India to prepare nursing students to establish community-based diabetes prevention programs. Her research also explores the nutritional implications of obesity and lifestyle approaches to disease prevention, and her doctoral research examined patient perceptions of nutrition education before gastric bypass surgery. Dr. Heinlein's commitment to global and community health is a central part of her work. She serves as the lead nursing faculty for the Short-Term Study Abroad India program, where she prepares students for transcultural healthcare experiences in Kolkata. Deeply impacted by the people of India, she is dedicated to providing long-term support to those who lack access to primary prevention and diagnostics for non-communicable diseases. She also conducts research and provides educational programs in Rwanda through Africa New Life Ministries; leading Community Health Nurse (CHN) training focused on public health strategies and culturally responsive care. Previously, as Associate Director of the School of Nursing’s Neighborhood Wellness Center, she collaborated with students to deliver nursing and nutrition care to the Azusa community. In addition, she developed the university's Minor in Nutrition, which includes courses such as Life Cycle Nutrition, Cultural Aspects of Foods and Nutrition, and Complementary and Alternative Therapies.