Introduction
Dr. Deanna Tollefson holds a PhD in Global Health Implementation Science from the University of Washington and an MPH in Global Environmental Health from Emory University. Dr. Tollefson is an applied global health researcher, who conducts health systems strengthening research; her work tries to improve implementation and scale-up of evidence-based health solutions globally. She asks questions like: What are the barriers to uptake or delivery of a needed health intervention? What are novel ways we can overcome these barriers? She uses primary and secondary data in her research, and relies on a variety of research methods, including quasi-experimental approaches and mixed methods.
Dr. Tollefson's work has predominantly focused on collaborating with partners to strengthen HIV and tuberculosis programs in low- and middle-income settings. She has done public health work/research in more than a dozen countries and across multiple sectors, including working in the government (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), academia, and non-profits. Throughout her work, she has had a two-part mission: [1] to maximize the impact of the work we do in public health to bolster wellbeing, especially in underserved and vulnerable populations, and [2] to inspire and equip students to respond creatively and effectively to public health needs. She is passionate about mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and helping them learn how to do applied research that can be impactful for organizations and communities.