When I joined the OHSU faculty in 2011, I quickly realized that I was an entrepreneur. I would stay employed in this soft money research environment to the extent that I could secure funding as Principal Investigator (PI) or collaborator. This context quickly led to long hours at work early in my career, since I am someone who thrives on stability and prepares based on worst-case scenarios. Gratefully, over time I found collaborators and started working with teams who helped share in the labor – which facilitates better boundaries for all while supporting the goals of securing successful funding and professional security.
Today, I find myself in a very rich and balanced period in my career and personal life made possible by collaborations at ORPRN as described in the 2023-2024 ORPRN Impact Report. For example, our team is:
- Collaborating with regional partners to provide robust Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) programming, including an expansion of Mental Health ECHOs in partnership with the OHSU Department of Psychiatry to align with regional and state health priorities. See the 2023-2024 Oregon ECHO Network Annual Report for more details!
- Leading work to address food and housing insecurity in healthcare visits (see article below) and supporting implementation of community benefit programs.
- Supporting Daniel Hoover, MD, and counties across Oregon in implementing deflection programs by providing education (webinars, ECHOs), regional trainings, and technical assistance through the Deflection Implementation Technical Assistance (TA) team . These deflection programs are designed to help law enforcement, first responders, or community response, connect individuals to behavioral health treatment, social services, and recovery supports when issues of substance use are present.
- Starting new work aligned with the principles of community engagement and research co-creation as one of the inaugural NIH Communities Advancing Research Equity for Health (CARE for Health) Primary Care Research Network sites. This work is a partnership with the PBRN based at University of Washington , our affiliated Clinical and Translational Science Institutes, and key primary care partners – with an especially warm “Thank You” to One Community Health and Winding Waters Health Clinic!
But equally important is the support I felt from this team over the last quarter, while I took time off to welcome a baby, Jasper Davis Nightengale (born 8/15/2024). I had the honor of receiving care in a rural health system, where I have been consistently impressed by the caliber, compassion, and thoughtfulness our family has received. It makes me better understand the value of local care from a team that knows and cares about you.
As we enter 2025, I’m embracing the humility and awareness that new parenthood brings and striving personally and professionally to enjoy this moment and to trust in the process. I am especially grateful to every member of our team, and to our clinic and health system partners as we continue to embrace opportunities to improve health for all Oregonians through community engaged research, education, and policy.