Education
DrPH, University of California at Berkeley, 2011
MPH, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 2005
BA, Bryn Mawr College, 2001
Overview
My focus is on exploring the intersection of politics and public health and how political factors affect the development and implementation of policies, especially for vulnerable populations. Specific areas of interest lie in evidence-informed decision-making, understanding the factors the influence policy development over time and across settings, and understanding the process of donor transition and its implications.
I am primary or co-investigator on several projects with health systems implications, including piloting a tool to assess capacities of Ministries of Health to demand and use research evidence, a multi-country study for a policy to address childhood mortality, and evaluating the experience of transition from donor support to government ownership across various settings. I have experience conducting research in multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural teams in Africa, Latin America and South Asia.
I have managed the entire research process, including protocol and instrument development, data collection and analysis, and report and publication writing. I have contributed to capacity building with local counterparts, which I believe is critical to the success of ongoing and future research endeavors. In my work, I actively build on my research and practical experiences to inform the development of research questions that help build critical evidence for decisions and contribute to the needs of local stakeholders and the broader field of health systems strengthening practitioners.
Honors and Awards
Chancellor’s Fellowship for Graduate Study, University of California, Berkeley, 2007 – 2011
Grossman Award, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 2009
Annual Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship, 2010
Public Health Alumni Association Scholarship, 2010