Ms. Balligan brings over 15 years of experience in research and public health to provide overall programmatic support to investigators and project staff. Most of her work focuses on T4 research including clinical implementation and population health integration of research findings, including dissemination. Ms. Balligan coordinates activities and facilitates the development and maintenance of partnerships and research collaborations across clinical and community settings Maine by championing a community-engaged approach to research.

In her role on the Northern New England Clinical and Translational Research Network, Ms. Balligan directs the development of regional community engagement research councils across Maine to allow for meaningful participation in evaluation and research among community members and partners, clinical investigators and researchers. In Western Maine, Ms. Balligan recently co-facilitated a project to elevate community voices about the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences by developing a public awareness campaign in Western Maine. Ms. Balligan is serving as co- investigator on a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) grant to build capacity for research dissemination and translation into practice. The study aims to create a robust, sustainable infrastructure for disseminating evidence to organizations and leaders to address the needs of patients and communities in rural Maine.

Prior to joining CIPHR, Ms. Balligan sharpened her qualitative and quantitative skills while evaluating public health and child welfare programs in Maine, as well as directing an organizational assessment. As the Chief of Quality Management at the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC) in the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Ms. Balligan oversaw the development and implementation of an ISO 9001:2008 compliant Quality Management System for clinical research activities across the VA’s Cooperative Studies Program. Ms. Balligan’ s earliest work in Public Health was while working at the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety in the Massachusetts Department of Public Health; this role included legislative work and convening an expert panel to examine patient safety in obstetrics.

Ms. Balligan’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s of Science with Honors in the History of Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 2006. The following year she earned a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Health Law, Bioethics and Human Rights from Boston University. Her desire to understand the social, environmental and cultural factors which impact individual well-being and population health forms the foundation for her commitment to research.