I am a Senior Research Project Manager in the Community Outreach and Engagement team at the Knight Cancer Institute (KCI) at OHSU.  I lead the qualitative research program which provides qualitative research support across programs at KCI.  I am skilled at translating between the community and researchers and creatively designing qualitative methods to increase the relevance and impact of research.  

I was previously a tenured professor in a global community development program and taught classes in participatory planning, qualitative methods, water and sanitation, the food, water, energy nexus, and the politics of international development.  My previous research focused on community development, water and sanitation equity, and environmental justice.  I have conducted research in this area in several countries in Africa, as well as with an advocacy organization for the unhoused in Denver and with Diné College on the Navajo Nation.  My book, Water and Aid in Mozambique, critically analyzes the unintended consequences of a large water project from the community’s perspective.  

Nearly all of my research has been with interdisciplinary teams and I enjoy translating between disciplines and building a spirit of collaboration and learning across boundaries. I have worked with a wide variety of stakeholders from large international organizations (USAID, World Bank, Millennium Challenge Corporation), governments, and non-profits, to community-based organizations.  I know how to explain the value of qualitative research and community engagement to collaborators outside of the social sciences and how to share results so they are actionable for a variety of audiences.