This new research program is led by Marian Ryan, PhD, MA, MPH
IHA’s Chief Policy and Research Officer.
Dr. Ryan’s 35-year healthcare and public health career has included direct clinical care, physician and nurse training, patient education and health literacy, disease management and care transitions program development and evaluation, and system-wide quality improvement initiatives. She held leadership and direct service positions with both payer and provider sectors serving underserved populations and created multidisciplinary teams inclusive of community outreach workers to meet maternal/child public health goals. During her doctoral program she participated in research on relational, whole-person care and payment systems that supported under resourced hospitals serving communities of color. Following her AHRQ fellowship at Brandeis University to earn her PhD in Social Policy (with a concentration in health policy and health services research), Dr. Ryan remains passionate about conducting translational research to improve the accessibility and effectiveness of healthcare services for all people. She facilitates collaboration and innovative resource development that promote embedding health literacy practices as a pathway to achieving health equity, high quality, and whole-person care.