Erika Cottrell, PhD, MPP, Dr. Cottrell holds a joint appointment as an Investigator at OCHIN and a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. She is trained as a sociologist, with expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and completed a post-doctoral career development award focused on patient-centered outcomes research. In addition to her role on CHARN, she is a Principal or co-Investigator on federally funded research studies that address social determinants of health, policy and payment reform, maternal-child health, and patient health experiences in vulnerable and underserved populations. Erika started her career in public policy and has a strong interest conducting research that will inform policy and practice and ultimately lead to measurable improvements in public health. She received her Master in Public Policy from Harvard University and her PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.