Amanda Haboush-Deloye has a vested interest in making the lives of Nevada children and families better.

It only makes sense. The Nevada native and triple UNLV alumna knows exactly how high the stakes are to make sure that the powers that be in Southern Nevada — and the state at large — are showing up for children and families.

As director of the Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy (NICRP), housed within the UNLV School of Public Health, Haboush-Deloye has conducted research within communities to advocate for policies that impact all areas of child well-being including: after school and summer programming; prenatal care, obesity, mental and physical health; and child safety and general injury prevention.

Haboush-Deloye’s research and the mission of the institute are aimed at getting local data in the hands of legislators and local decision-makers, allowing them to make informed decisions that change the community for the better.

For nearly two decades, she has taken a community-based approach that ensures research is conducted with communities — not on them — so that the decision-making power is shared and that they retain ownership of data that is generated about them.

“By doing so, we empower local organizations and individuals to use that information effectively to advocate for change and improve health outcomes,” Haboush-Deloye said.

Haboush-Deloye was promoted to serve as the executive director of the institute five years ago. Through her leadership, NICRP’s Associate Director Dawn Davidson said the institute has more than doubled the number of staff and students employed and increased the number of grant-funded projects and community initiatives.

“On any given evening or weekend, you are likely to find Dr. Haboush-Deloye at an outreach event, preparing for legislative testimony, reviewing reports or newsletters, or baking a birthday cake for a staff member,” Davidson said. “All of these activities translate into advocating for Nevada’s children and families, building community partnerships, contributing to the knowledge base of public health, creating a positive change in the community, promoting UNLV, educating the community, and illustrating her kindness to and appreciation for her staff.”

Now, for her work, Haboush-Deloye has been awarded UNLV’s 2025 Community Engagement Award for Community-Based Research, to be presented at this year’s Campus Awards Ceremony.

Community-Based Research

For the last year, as part of a partnership with the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD), Haboush-Deloye has served as the principal investigator for their Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA).

The initiative aims to identify disparities in systems and services and develop a plan to improve health behaviors and outcomes.

This project, funded by a $270,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and passed through the Southern Nevada Health District, ran from March 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

Haboush-Deloye was invited to partner on this effort thanks to past collaborations with SNHD on multiple research and evaluation projects over the years, including the 2015 and 2019 Community Health Improvement Process. She brings her expertise in mixed-methods research, experience working with diverse populations, and deep understanding of the Southern Nevada community to projects.

Given the scale of the initiative, she said community partnerships were essential at every stage.

The health district formed a steering committee of approximately 30 community partners representing different health sectors to provide guidance and ensure diverse voices were included throughout the process. The committee first developed a mission statement, vision statement, and guiding values, with a shared vision:

"Together – we advance equity and promote healthy communities."

To ensure community involvement in data interpretation, the project presented findings to community partners in February and will facilitate discussions on data interpretation and collaboratively identifying health priorities for the CHIP.

“Through this initiative, UNLV strengthens its reputation as a leader in community health research, policy development, and public service,” Haboush-Deloye said.

Anil Mangla, director of Disease Surveillance and Control at SNHD, said his office has partnered with Haboush-Deloye for approximately 10 years on various research and evaluation projects.

As the project continues, it will serve as a model for community-based research that not only generates knowledge, but also drives meaningful, lasting change, Mangla said.

“This information will provide a comprehensive picture of Southern Nevada’s health needs, strengths, and challenges, allowing SNHD to identify priority areas for  improvement, allocate resources effectively, and develop interventions to address specific health  concerns within the community, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for residents,” he said.