Nika Larian

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT NIKA LARIAN

I work at the intersection of nutrition science, health policy, and health system strategy to transform how rural communities address chronic disease.As Vice President of Wellness at Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), I lead the integration of Food Is Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine across clinical services, community health initiatives, and workforce wellness programs. My focus is on building prevention-centered models that align patient care, population health, and employee well-being within a unified rural health system strategy.Previously, as a Senior Nutrition Advisor at USAID, I led multi-million-dollar public-private partnerships focused on food safety, food security, and food loss and waste. I secured and managed large-scale cooperative agreements and funding initiatives, collaborating with USDA, FDA, EPA, and global partners to translate science into regulatory frameworks and measurable public health impact across international food systems.Earlier in my career, I spent seven years conducting nutrition and chronic disease research at the University of Kentucky, strengthening the scientific foundation that underpins today’s prevention and nutrition policy efforts.Across global and rural contexts, my work centers on designing systems that make evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle interventions scalable, sustainable, and accessible.