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NORC at the University Chicago

Alexa Siegfried

Senior Research Scientist
Public Health
Alexa is a qualitative and mixed methods researcher who focuses on advancing the evidence base around public health practice and rural community health programs.

Alexa conducts research and evaluation in the areas of public health systems, rural health, emergency preparedness, and traffic safety, among other public health topics. 

Her recent work involves initiatives designed to support and strengthen the capacity and performance of the U.S. governmental public health system. These efforts include, for example, evaluating the national, voluntary accreditation program for public health departments; assessing national data collection from Tribal public health organizations delivering public health services; exploring innovations in public health to identify successes, challenges, and lessons learned to support replication of innovations; and providing evaluation support for federal investments related to public health infrastructure and performance. She also leads public health preparedness and response research, including for rural populations. For example, she recently led efforts to examine factors affecting the implementation of evidence-based practices by health departments in public health preparedness. She also provides leadership to develop rural evidence-based toolkits, housed on the Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) website. The toolkits highlight evidence-based and promising strategies for improving the health and well-being of rural residents.

Through her research and evaluation efforts, she has engaged public health agency leadership, practitioners, and partners to inform the development of toolkits, case studies, and other products that support public health practice, with the goal of improving community health outcomes. She has also published her work in numerous peer-reviewed scientific journals, including the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. 

Project Contributions

Older Adult Access to Rideshare Services

First-ever study of rideshare services available to adults over 65

Client:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Rural Emergency Preparedness & Response Toolkit

Supporting disaster planning, response, and recovery efforts in rural America

Funder:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration

Assessing the Effects of the National Public Health Accreditation Program

A multi-year data collection effort on behalf of the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)

Client:

Public Health Accreditation Board

Public Health Infrastructure Grant Evaluation

Supporting the national evaluation of a groundbreaking investment to improve public health infrastructure and workforce

Funder:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Providing research, monitoring, and evaluation services to support CDC’s legacy Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (CSTLTS)

Client:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Community Health Toolkits for Rural America

Evidence-based approaches for building effective rural community health programs

Client:

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy

Countermeasures to Reduce Drowsy Driving

A literature review and expert discussions to identify ways to combat drowsy driving

Client:

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Publications

Research Library & Findings