Family Medicine

Dr. Richardson currently serves as Chair of Family Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. In addition, she serves as editor-in-chief of the Annals of Family Medicine. Previously, Dr. Richardson served associate chair for research programs in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan and as the director of the Veterans Administration Diabetes Quality Improvement Initiative (QUERI). She conducted a multi-site implementation study of the Diabetes Prevention Program for veterans.

Dr. Richardson is a physical activity and diabetes prevention researcher who emphasizes the importance of using low-cost and scalable approaches to promoting physical activity. Her most recent research focuses on lifestyle change in type 2 diabetes using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and low-carb diet coaching. She develops and tests internet-mediated behavioral interventions to increase physical activity, decrease weight and prevent diabetes. Focusing on components of web-based interventions that are interactive and individually tailored, Dr. Richardson builds interventions that are more than just static informational websites. They incorporate objective monitoring, individually tailored feedback and motivational messaging while providing online social support to motivate and engage users.  

Research Interests: Preventing and reversing Type 2 diabetes, clinical informatics and technology, preventative medicine, physical activity, chronic illness, diabetes prevention, internet-mediated interventions

Clinical Interests: Physical activity and chronic disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease risk factor modification, health behavior change.