Norma Kanarek '74, Changemaker in Research

Nazareth University president Dr. Beth Paul welcomes Norma Fox Kanarek, PhD, a member of Nazareth’s class of 1974 and an inspiring changemaker. Their conversation dives into the details of Norma’s amazing career — which started in Rochester at Highland Family Medicine — as an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. Her research focused on the health of populations, patient participation in clinical trials, the use of preventive health services, and cancer etiology, i.e., the study of the causes of cancer. Norma’s work has been at the interface of cancer research and public health practice with an emphasis on connecting basic science findings and cancer prevention and control research, and linking internal investigators to enhance cross-disciplinary research.

Norma’s public health career included studying cancer rates and racial disparities, leading the State of Maryland’s cancer surveillance work, and advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She originated the first community health status report for all U.S. counties while at the Public Health Foundation. And she recently retired from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health after 23 years of service, concluding an incredible career as an advocate for cancer prevention and screening for early detection.

This past September, Nazareth was pleased to honor Norma in 2024 with an Outstanding Alumni Award during Naz Weekend.