Julie is a research scientist in NORC’s Health Care Programs department.

Her research focuses on understanding and supporting access to health services and community supports for individuals with low incomes, older adults, people with disabilities, and children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). To identify barriers and facilitators to access, her research often integrates primary data from sources such as surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups with secondary data from sources such as Medicaid claims, administrative data, and national or state surveys. Julie serves as a project manager or task lead on complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives such as health needs assessments, studies of experiences with health insurance, and program evaluations. She combines strong project management skills with the ability to translate findings into evidence-based recommendations for organizational leaders and policymakers.

Julie serves as the project manager and primary data lead for the CalOptima Health Needs Assessment, where she oversees analyses of surveys, focus groups, interviews, and secondary data to inform strategic planning. She is also managing the development of a new asset mapping tool for CalOptima Health that will advance capabilities in researching existing community resources for populations of interest and inform areas for further community investment. Her role in Covered California’s Medi-Cal Transitioners Study highlights her qualitative research skills, as she led in-depth interviews to understand barriers to coverage during the unwinding of continuous enrollment in Medicaid. Additionally, her work on the National Study of Oral Health Needs for Children with Special Health Care Needs demonstrates her ability to coordinate and analyze focus groups with parents and caregivers to amplify the health needs of CYSHCN and identify strategies to improve systems of care.

Before joining NORC, Julie conducted research in health care and community settings. At UCLA Health’s Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, she evaluated a mobile health intervention designed to improve medication adherence for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). This work involved building relationships with community stakeholders and conducting repeated interviews with people with OUD to assess treatment adherence and user experience. As a member of the Program Evaluation Committee for the Mobile Clinic Project at UCLA, Julie helped design a survey to improve services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Additionally, in her role at Venice Family Clinic’s Behavioral Health Department, she analyzed electronic health record data to produce a first-of-its-kind health equity report and recommended strategies to enhance equitable care practices. Prior to this, Julie conducted research at UCSD Health to evaluate the effectiveness of a combined pharmacologic and behavioral intervention for people with Alzheimer’s disease and people with schizophrenia.