Tell us a little bit about yourself.

“I grew up in Grand Rapids, MN, about 90 miles south of the Canadian border. I started skating on our family pond when I was three years old, and I played hockey throughout high school. I went to Bemidji State University for undergrad because, as a first-generation college student, I had to stay close enough to Grand Rapids to work at the Blandin Paper Company to help pay for college. I originally studied mass communications because I wanted to be a DJ and eventually have my own talk show. I eventually graduated with a BA in psychology and biology after being inspired by one of my instructors, Dr. James Rafferty, to pursue research in the health sciences and seek advanced training. I got an MA in applied social research at the University of Michigan, then earned my PhD in sociology here at the University of Minnesota.”

How would you explain your research to a non-academic audience?

“I study how to help healthcare systems learn faster. Historically, research usually happens outside the healthcare system. An academic brings in a question, studies it, publishes the paper, and disappears. What we do is different. We embed ourselves in the system and focus on the questions clinicians, administrators, and communities actually care about.

The center I co-lead, the Center for Learning Health System Sciences, is a collaboration between the School of Public Health (SPH) and the Medical School. We pair clinicians who see real-world problems with researchers who know how to measure, test, and evaluate solutions rigorously. The goal is to shorten the gap between discovery and practice, which now stands at about 17 years. Another major part of our work is creating a learning community across Minnesota’s healthcare systems. Often, systems don’t know what others are trying, so best practices don’t spread. We’re building ways for them to share what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve together. Ultimately, it’s about reducing barriers that contribute to poor health, expensive care, and suboptimal population health.”

You previously served as our interim dean. What do you think makes the UMN School of Public Health special?

“First, the quality and accessibility of the faculty–they’re exceptional teachers and deeply engaged researchers. Second, the way we do research is highly community-engaged. We want tangible impact on policy and practice, and that aligns with our land-grant mission. Third, there’s a real ethos of collaboration here. People help each other with grants, manuscripts, and ideas because the mindset is: How do we all thrive? That spirit is rare, and it makes this school special. I’ve seen a lot of institutions, talked to a lot of deans within and outside of the University of Minnesota, and there’s something unique here—the collaborative spirit, the focus on why we do our work, and the way people genuinely want to help each other succeed. It really is different.”

What courses do you teach? What do you enjoy about working with students?

“I co-teach PubH 6571: Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Performance Improvement in the MHA program with Professor Nate Shippee. I also teach PubH 8862: Health Services Research II in our PhD program in Health Services Research, Policy & Administration. After being the interim dean for a few years, I love being back in the classroom. Being in front of students is an honor, and it reminds you why you’re at this university. 

My favorite part about working with students is their curiosity. They’re sharp and keep you on your toes. The classroom today is also much more interactive than when I was in grad school. We use case studies, group exercises, and different learning styles. I really enjoy that, along with advising and mentoring outside class.”

What would you say to someone interested in studying public health but concerned about the challenges the field is currently facing?

“Public health will always be needed. Its visibility and appreciation may ebb and flow, but society notices immediately when public health isn’t working—whether that’s vaccines, water quality, or infectious disease prevention. The skills you develop here are portable, and the need for evidence-based public health is never going away.”

Tell me one thing about yourself that most people don’t know.

“I was a speed skater for about 11 years and raced in a few World Cup events—mostly inline marathons. My claim to fame is that I beat Olympic gold medalist Chad Hedrick twice. One time was legitimate. The other time his blade loosened, so I’ll take the asterisk. My race ritual was always a Salted Nut Roll and a Red Bull beforehand, and I finished my fastest marathon on skates in 1 hour and 10 minutes. I was also a competitive cyclist for several years.”

What do you like to do when you are not working? 

“Walking the dog around the lakes twice a day, biking with my spouse, and hiking. Our family often chooses vacations based on the presence of good hiking trails, like Montana, Duluth, Palm Springs, Switzerland, or Iceland.