Previous Projects

 
 

HEAL Hub: A Scalable, Digital Learning Platform for Community Health Workers

As part of CARE USA’s Health Equity and Rights team, I led the research, design, and implementation of the HEAL Hub, a comprehensive digital training solution for community health workers (CHWs) across low- and middle-income countries.

The project began with a landscape analysis that included stakeholder interviews with digital health leaders, CHWs, and healthcare officials. This research revealed a critical gap: while many tools existed for data collection and health tracking, few addressed comprehensive, culturally responsive training and professional development for CHWs.

In response, I partnered with cross-functional teams—including internal program leads, global implementation partners, and regional Ministries of Health—to design a solution that was both globally scalable and locally adaptable. The HEAL Hub delivers interactive, audio-enabled training modules designed for varied literacy levels, with core content structured to allow customization based on regional health priorities and cultural norms.

From concept to launch, this project exemplified a research-to-practice approach: grounding design decisions in evidence and community input, and translating insights into an innovative platform that supports the capacity, dignity, and impact of frontline health workers.

Overrepresentation of People With Disabilities and Deaf People in Local Criminal Justice Systems

screenshot of the title page of the white paper with the title in white writing on a dark blue background above the logos for the Safety + Justice Challenge and Activating Change.

In 2024, I worked with Activating Change to produce a white paper for the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety + Justice Challenge. The paper begins by discussing disability and Deaf communities and their overrepresentation in the criminal legal system. By tracing the history of involuntary institutionalization and incarceration of people with disabilities, we can better understand the deep disparities of today. We explore the complex, interrelated systems that increase the likelihood of individuals with disabilities encountering the criminal justice system, as well as the systemic features within that system that perpetuate these disparities. Finally, we present policy and practice recommendations aimed at reducing the high incarceration rates and harm experienced by people with disabilities within the criminal legal system. Because well over half of people in jails have a disability, we cannot address local mass incarceration without centering these communities in our collective efforts.

The full paper can be found here.

Building Inclusive Culture Through Organizational Equity Audits & Strategy Design

Through my consultancy, Disruptive Inclusion, I partnered with a Northeast-based social services agency to design and implement a comprehensive organizational equity audit that led to actionable cultural transformation.

The project began with a multi-method research strategy, including surveys, focus groups, and interviews with staff at all levels of the organization. I designed instruments that centered lived experience while remaining analytically rigorous, and integrated this internal data with HR metrics (e.g., retention, grievances, promotions) to provide a holistic view of equity within the agency.

Key findings highlighted gaps in policy alignment, communication culture, and leadership development. Drawing from these insights, I developed a customized equity strategy roadmap that included inclusive leadership training, ERG development support, and performance policy revisions. I also coached senior leadership on implementing these changes with transparency and sustainability.

This project exemplifies how data-driven, participatory research can lead to meaningful systems change—and how equity must be built into every layer of organizational culture.. Suspendisse nec congue purus.

University-Wide Equity Innovation at Emory University

While serving as a faculty member at Emory University’s Center for the Study of Human Health, I led several cross-disciplinary, equity-centered initiatives that advanced both educational and institutional transformation.

I co-founded and directed two major university-wide programs: one focused on disability studies, and the other on justice-involvement in higher education. Both initiatives were designed to amplify marginalized voices and embed systemic equity into academic discourse and practice. This work included curriculum development, stakeholder engagement, and cross-departmental advocacy to secure long-term sustainability and visibility.

Additionally, I launched and advised Critical Junctures, an international conference on intersectionality and inclusion that ran for seven years and connected emerging scholars with established thought leaders. The conference operated on a participatory planning model, adapting each year based on feedback and impact evaluation data.

These experiences showcase my ability to work across silos, design inclusive systems of learning, and build programs that are both values-driven and structurally sound.u est non lacus lacinia semper. Donec ac fringilla turpis.