about

I am a health services and spatial epidemiology researcher whose work examines how geography, health system organization, and social conditions shape access to care. I serve as a Postdoctoral Research Scholar with the Program on Medicines and Public Health and the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics.

My research focuses on measuring health service environments, identifying areas of unmet need, and evaluating disparities in the availability and quality of essential health services. I combine spatial analysis, population health methods, and large administrative and survey datasets to study healthcare access in the United States and in low- and middle-income countries.

My current work focuses on health service access in the United States, including the geographic distribution of pharmacy closures, the emergence of pharmacy shortage areas, and disparities in access across racial, socioeconomic, and rural–urban contexts. I also develop public-facing data tools that translate complex spatial and policy data into accessible evidence for researchers, policymakers, and communities. My broader research has examined health facility readiness, user fees, maternal and child health services, and the relationship between service availability and patient experience across multiple countries.

I earned my PhD in Population, Health and Place from the University of Southern California, where my dissertation examined structural and spatial dimensions of healthcare access in low- and middle-income countries. I previously served as Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at Last Mile Health in Liberia and has conducted research and evaluation work across a range of humanitarian and global health settings, including Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tanzania and more. My work draws on experience in epidemiology, geographic information science, health services research, and program evaluation.

Spatial Resume

Research areas

Health service access & utilization

This area of research focuses on quality, modes of delivery, and facilitators and barriers of health services. Despite global progress on the delivery of healthcare in under- resourced settings, some populations remain underserved. Some barriers to care are related to personal factors, such as knowledge, attitudes or personal experience with the health system. Others are related to the ability of health systems to meet the needs of the population. Finally, there are structural and geographic determinants of health risks. I have published on the ways health service delivery modes can influence quality and more effectively distribute the burden of care.

Measurement error in health surveys

This domain emphasizes the importance of quality data. Some data sources, such as the Demographic and Health Surveys, are widely used to justify and target health interventions. While these remain gold-standard data sources, recognizing potential sources of bias is important for framing inferences found in these data. My work in this area emphasizes how point estimates can be systematically biased, particularly indicators derived from sensitive questions.

Pharmacy access

I use geospatial and composite index analysis to identify pharmacy deserts across the United States. I work with stakeholders to develop interactive maps that reveal disparities in pharmacy availability, particularly in low-income communities and where the majority of residents are from historically underserved populations. This work supports policy efforts to advance equitable access to essential medicines and preventive health services.

Outside the Office

Backpacking/Hiking: I enjoy spending time in remote backcountry areas, where traveling light and adapting to the environment are essential. Extended trips through mountains, tundra, and desert offer a different kind of focus and resilience that helps me remember there’s more to life than work.
Travel: Travel has been a way to escape the familiar and spend time in parts of the world that feel a little farther off the map. I’ve been lucky to visit more than 70 countries, often drawn to quieter places and trips that require a bit of effort.
Sailing: I recently bought a sailboat with friends and am in love with moving with no sound but the wind and the waves. I’m drawn to the idea of reaching places you can’t fly to. Someday, I’d like to live aboard and see where it takes me - perhaps combining this with my other passions.
Coding/Automation: I spend some of my free time on small electronics projects. I’ve built a plant-watering robot, set up a Signal K server, and modded my espresso machine. I like projects that involve a little problem-solving and a lot of figuring things out as I go.