Andrew Pleasant

Andrew’s research has contributed to the data that demonstrates that health literacy is one of the most powerful tools to create informed behavior change and improve health. During his career, Andrew has designed and evaluated many community-based interventions that have improved participant’s health and well-being.

At HLM, Andrew is focusing on multiple programs, including Clearly Communicating Clinical Trials (C3T) and our work with medical, public health, and pharmaceutical organizations. He applies a health literacy approach which doesn’t remove, but explains complexity. Andrew also applies an integrative approach to changing health behaviors that addresses mind, body, spirit, and emotion.

Andrew has led and participated in hundreds of presentations and trainings in the United States and around the world, primarily on the topics of health literacy, and science, risk, and environmental communication. He has taught at Cornell University, Brown University, and Rutgers University. Andrew has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and technical reports, and he is co-author of the book Advancing Health Literacy: A Framework for Understanding and Action (2006).

Andrew holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Arizona State University, a master’s degree in environmental studies from Brown University, and a PhD in communication from Cornell University. His interest and skills in writing and communication were given an early start from contributing to his parent’s weekly newspapers.