Laura Anderson

Contact Me

Laura Anderson brings over 25 years of experience with Michigan State University Extension, specializing in food and nutrition, chronic disease prevention and management, and health education. She serves communities across Ottawa, Kent, Allegan, Barry, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Van Buren, Branch, St. Joseph, Cass, and Berrien counties. In her current role, Laura provides research‑based information and programming to support the prevention and management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, chronic pain, depression, and arthritis.

Laura is trained and certified to deliver a wide range of evidence‑based community programs, including:

Personal Action Toward Health (PATH) for chronic disease
Diabetes PATH
Chronic Pain PATH
A Matter of Balance – Master Trainer and program leader
SLEEP (Sleep Education for Everyone Program)
Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention
Diabetes‑related education
Mindfulness for Wellbeing

Her programs use interactive facilitation and adult learning strategies to help individuals build self‑management skills and adopt healthier lifestyles.

Laura currently serves as the state lead for Diabetes Health Education for MSU Extension, where she develops educational materials and programming, provides training and support to staff statewide, and ensures evidence‑based information reaches communities across Michigan.

A registered dietitian nutritionist for more than 20 years, Laura holds a master’s degree in Community Sciences from Michigan State University. She has contributed to several published projects, including curriculum development and a manuscript for the Journal of Extension, and has presented at multiple national conferences on diabetes prevention, fall prevention, and chronic disease management.