Filmed on 11 February 2017 as part of TEDxUTK 2017 Through the Looking Glass at the Clarence Brown Lab Theatre in Knoxville, TN.

If there's one thing Leigh Willis knows, it's the value of comic books and storytelling in making a difference in peoples' lives. Working for the CDC, Dr. Willis has lead an effort to improve public health communications using motion animated comics. Dr. Willis latest work shows how engaging the community to craft an honest story can amplify the reach of public health agencies and improve health outcomes for everyone. Dr. Leigh A. Willis is a Behavioral Scientist in the Health Communication Science Office in the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. His broad research interests include Health Communication, Sexual Risk, Mental Health, Violence Prevention, Health Disparities, Intervention Development, Health Communication and Evaluation. His research experiences include a broad range of settings, research methods and studies. Dr. Willis has presented his work at numerous conferences ranging from The American Public Health Association to San Diego Comic-Con and his work has appeared in a several journals ranging from American Journal of Public Health, Social Science and Medicine, Journal of Black Studies, Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior and Social Theory and Health. Dr. Willis work focuses on the use of technology and other innovative means of educating the public.

Prior to joining CDC Dr. Willis was a faculty member at The University of Georgia (UGA), where he was jointly appointed in the Department of Sociology and The Institute for African-American Studies. At UGA he taught courses in Medial Sociology and Race and Ethnicity.

Dr. Willis earned a Ph.D. in Medical Sociology and an M.P.H. in Health Behavior from the University of Alabama, Birmingham and a B.A. with Department Honors in Sociology and Human Services from Albion College.