Community Research Liaisons and Coalitions

Map of the state of Oregon with the Portland campus, Community Research Hub headquaters, and Community Research Liaison regions labeled. Regions are detailed in the text on the page.

Community Research Liaisons work collaboratively across the state to serve all Oregonians. There are seven regions (called coalitions) where Community Research Liaisons have developed targeted strategies to sustain research activities in those communities, while providing support to community-identified health initiatives.

The four main goals of the community research liaisons include: 

  1. Sustain and expand resources that support building research capacity, ensuring research relevance, and enhancing research receptivity in the community

  1. Build and sustain resources to support increased engagement between researchers and the community

  1. Develop, implement, and provide training on tools and resources to integrate health equity into community engaged research 

  1. Bring together community programs at OHSU under the Community Outreach, Research, and Engagement (CORE) team to streamline and unify work that supports community-academic partnerships; gathers community input for academic research; and increases research in community settings that is responsive to the health concerns of Oregonians. 

Liaison team and coalition regions

Laura Campbell (she/her), MBA, MPH

Laura is the manager of the Community Research Liaison team, which is housed in the OCTRI Community Program. Community Research Liaisons are embedded in rural areas, foster relationships with local leaders, and identify research needs. These liaisons facilitate collaborations, leveraging their local knowledge to align community priorities with academic projects, ultimately strengthening community-responsive research throughout Oregon. 

Connect with Laura at camplaur@ohsu.edu. 

Kaitlin Greene (she/her), MPH

Counties served: Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson 

Kaitlin has lived and worked in Central Oregon for over a decade. As a liaison between her community and OHSU, Kaitlin fosters relationships to increase community-engaged research capacity. With her public health training, Kaitlin brings an upstream prevention and data-informed lens to approaches aimed at addressing the pressing health needs of Central Oregon communities.  Kaitlin facilitates the Central Oregon Research Coalition, which represents groups involved in public health and public health research. 

Prior to joining OHSU, Kaitlin worked as a SNAP-Ed Educator with the OSU Extension Service, where she empowered families and youth with skills for lifelong health. 

Connect with Kaitlin at greenkai@ohsu.edu 

Lynda Crocker Daniel (she/her), MA 

Counties served: Lake, Klamath  

Lynda works to connect community members and organizations to expertise and research resources, including opportunities to work with academic partners, funding opportunities, and assistance with program evaluation. She is a member of the OHSU Campus for Rural Health in Klamath Falls and supports OHSU faculty and healthcare providers in collaborating with the Klamath Tribes (Klamath Tribal Health and Family Services) and the Northwest Native American Center of Excellence (NNACoE). 

Lynda has designed or supported several local, health-focused research projects covering topics such as wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy; food insecurity; youth services; diabetes; and access to fresh, local foods.

Connect with Lynda at crockerd@ohsu.edu 

We are currently recruiting for an Eastern Oregon Liaison. Past projects in this region include:

  • Work with the Knight Scholars program to engage local students in exploring careers in cancer research through summer internships
  • Collaboration between the La Grande School District and OHSU’s Evaluation Team to evaluate the effectiveness of the district’s drug prevention curriculum for its K-12 schools. 

Kayla Warner (she/her), MPH 

Counties served: Columbia, Clatsop, Tillamook 

Kayla builds connections among community members, organizations, researchers, and public agencies along Oregon’s North Coast to ensure that the community's voice actively shapes public health initiatives. Her work identifies and addresses the unique health challenges faced by the region’s diverse communities and geographic location. Kayla co-leads the Community Health Advocacy and Resource Team in Clatsop County and supports needs assessment and evaluation effforts for Tillamook County Wellness. At the state level, Kayla facilitates the Project Assistance Program with her colleagues at CORE, addressing various research and community project needs across Oregon.  

Kayla’s journey began as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Oregon Health Authority. She later served as a Research Coordinator at OHSU and worked with Oregon State University’s Family and Community Health Extension network. 

Connect with Kayla at warneka@ohsu.edu.

Danita Tracy Carter (she/her)

Counties served: Douglas, Coos, Curry 

Danita serves as the facilitator for the South Coast Research Coalition Advisory, where she empowers community champions in data-driven decision-making processes. She supports OHSU’s academic collaborators by engaging stakeholders and community members across the region, providing county-level data and regional insight, and is also a liaison for community partners and organizations working with Campus for Rural Health. Additionally, Danita is a trained doula and supports perinatal wellness organizations throughout the South Coast, including the Douglas County Perinatal Taskforce and Nutrition Hub, Outgrown Hike-it-Baby, and a breastfeeding needs assessment. 

Before joining OHSU, Danita worked as a Vaccine Coordinator at a private health clinic in Douglas County and as a school-based, traveling healthcare medical assistant. 

Connect with Danita at tracycar@ohsu.edu. 

Liliana Will (she/her), DDS, MPH

Counties served: Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington

Liliana connects community leaders in the Portland Metro region to create a network for collaboration with researchers. Liliana garners participants for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Community Partnership Program Steering Committee, Community Advisory Board, and the Knight Scientific Research Advocates, with a focus on creating diversity among research participants and including groups who are traditionally underrepresented in research.   

Liliana has over 12 years experience working in public health, including 5+ years in the non-profit sector as a specialist in program management focusing on youth and families. She has a strong background building partnerships with local agencies, universities, community organizations, and the health industry.   

Connect with Liliana at willl@ohsu.edu. 

We are currently recruiting for a Columbia Gorge Liaison. Past projects in this region include:

  • Evaluating the impact of postpartum doulas on reducing health disparities and improving maternal mental health
  • Assessing teen suicide risk
  • Supporting the local Community Health Advocacy and Research Alliance.