I am the Director of the Reproductive Choices Lab and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington. Prior to joining UW in 2024, I was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University of British Columbia.

In my time at rank across the two institutions, I have contributed to research, teaching, mentoring, and service both in the academy and community, demonstrating my passion for community-engaged research to advance health equity. To date I have been awarded $22 million total USD to support my research program and the activities of the Reproductive Choices Lab, including 30 grants ($11 million USD) awarded to me as Principal or Co-Principal Investigator. I have published over 70 peer-reviewed research articles and applied this evidence to influence policy and practice for mifepristone medication abortion provision in primary care, free prescription contraception, and implementation of patient decision aids for a range of reproductive choices. National and international recognition for my work include a Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Award (2019-24), and recognitions for Outstanding Academic Performance (2020-24) and Distinguished Achievement Award, Overall Excellence Early Career (2022). I serve as an international scientific advisor for two research organizations: the Women’s Health Research Institute and Contraception and Abortion Research Team (CART), both based in Canada. Learn more about research outputs and impacts here.

Program of Research / I conduct health services research with a focus on knowledge mobilization and implementation science to improve equitable access to contraception and abortion care. Using qualitative and mixed methods, I partner with governments, clinicians, and decision scientists to investigate the multi-level factors that drive patient preferences in environments that restrict access to family planning care, with the overarching goal to improve patient-centered contraception and abortion outcomes. I am passionate about community engagement and co-production, and am drawn to work that is collaborative, action-oriented, reciprocal, and focused on community-driven solutions, particularly with adolescents and young adults. I also develop, test, and implement shared decision-making interventions, including patient decision aids and health professional decision coaching. Learn more about current projects here.

Training / I completed my BA (Hon) and MA in the UBC Department of English, focusing on public health communication. I then pursued a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies at UBC (2012-16) focused on knowledge translation (KT). My dissertation investigated the factors contributing to implementation of shared decision-making in pregnancy. I completed a joint Postdoctoral Fellowship (2016-19) in implementation science with the UBC Department of Family Practice and Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. My fellowships investigated the factors influencing implementation of family planning innovations in primary care. In 2019 I began my faculty position at UBC and initiated a program of research guided by the question, What are the factors that influence equitable access to high-quality, culturally-safe sexual and reproductive health care for equity-deserving populations?

Teaching and Mentorship / I have a strong commitment to training the next generation of scholars, with a focus on holistic mentorship of first-generation students and clinician scientists. Since 2019, I have supported 26 graduate thesis or dissertation committees as a chair or committee member. In recognition of my contributions to health professional education during COVID-19, I was recognized with a Preceptor Excellence Award for Teaching (2020). I co-lead the Collective for Reproductive Rights and Health based at the University of Washington, where I support students to develop skills and experience in reproductive health research, qualitative and mixed methodologies, implementation science, and impactful dissemination for public health practice and policy. I currently teach Health Program Evaluation (HSERV 522), supervise MPH and PhD research theses and capstone projects, and mentor practicums in applied reproductive health.

Positionality / As a white settler of Scottish and English ancestry and a cis-gendered woman, I strive to partner in transformative initiatives as an ally and facilitator. As a resident of Vancouver and Seattle, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I am a grateful, uninvited guest on the ancestral, unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples. When not in office, you can find me going for runs along the Salish Sea, knitting, or fly fishing with my family.