Jennifer Edwards, DrPH, MHS, Center Director
Dr. Edwards has conducted health policy research, program evaluation, and healthcare program implementation from positions in state governments, foundations, healthcare systems, and universities. A seasoned consultant and driver of organizational improvement, Dr. Edwards has provided leadership to organizations in assessing customer needs and delivering information and tools to help them achieve their goals. With substantial academic and policy credentials, Dr. Edwards bridges the gap between research, practice, and policy.
Carolyn Gallagher, PhD
Dr. Gallagher is a population health researcher with more than 20 years of experience employing statistical analysis to identify risk factors for adverse health outcomes, barriers to health care access, and racial inequities. She has first-authored multiple scientific research articles and focus studies. Dr. Gallagher takes a proactive approach by translating actionable findings into Performance Improvement Projects and facilitating collaborative quality initiatives.
Rosalie Winslow, PhD
Dr. Winslow is a sociologist with research experience in health care quality measurement and improvement, health equity, and restructuring mechanisms of health care delivery. She has expertise in qualitative and mixed-methods research and works with clinicians to incorporate qualitative methodologies and health equity priorities into both clinical research and care delivery.
Athena Koumoutzis, PhD
Dr. Koumoutzis is a mixed methods research professional with data gathering, management, and analysis experience. She is responsible for evaluating data to identify and address healthcare-specific needs, support program operations by assessing quality improvement strategies, analyzing metrics of clinical quality and efficiency, and generating reports to illustrate quantitative and qualitative analytic components. Dr. Koumoutzis has conducted mixed methods research for more than six years and has substantial knowledge and experience working with various healthcare organizations, including Medicaid and Medicare managed care organizations (MCOs, MCOPs) and state and federal regulatory staff. Prior to working for IPRO, she evaluated a state Medicare-Medicaid managed care program and collected information on states funding non-Medicaid long term services and supports.
Ayanna Besson, DrPH, MPH
Dr. Besson is an accomplished public health professional specializing in epidemiology and program evaluation. With seven years in public health and four years in healthcare settings, she has made significant contributions in chronic disease and nutritional epidemiology, quality improvement (QI), program management and mixed-methods research. Dr. Besson joined IPRO in March 2024, bringing her expertise in QI initiatives, epidemiologic study design and evaluation to the team. Her strong data analysis and communication skills support impactful outcomes in all her projects.
Sarah Tonn, MPH
Ms. Tonn is a leader in the translation of complex questions into research designs, with the goal of making findings relevant and applicable in real-world settings. She has 20+ years of experience leading large studies in health outcomes research, population health, health equity, and performance measurement programs. Ms. Tonn has applied qualitative and quantitative skills in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of large QI studies and healthcare measurement programs.
Lacey Barre, MPH
Ms. Barre is an expert in meaningfully engaging patients and understanding stakeholder perspectives. With more than a decade of experience in qualitative and mixed-methods health services research, her expertise in patient experience measurement and evaluation will assure IPRO’s work is relevant to the people it is intended to support. Her previous work includes the development and testing of the Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG-CAHPS) Patient Narrative Item Set, as well as evaluating facilitators and barriers to QI initiatives in primary- and long-term care settings.
