Paige Farris, MSW, has worked at OHSU alongside Dr. Jackilen Shannon since 2004. Ms. Farris is the Community Research Project Director who lives and works for the Knight Cancer Institute’s Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) team from Central Oregon. She leads COE’s Community Cancer Control Specialists in the implementation of Knight COE and Oregon’s comprehensive cancer control priorities. The team implements evidence-based, cancer-related prevention, screening, training, and control activities and education alongside and in support of community partners. COE's Specialists live and work for the Knight Cancer Institute from rural regions around the state.

Ms. Farris led the development of the Research in Oregon Communities' Review System (ROCRS). ROCRS is a community-built systematic approach investigators can utilize to gain community-level input, vetting, and a feasibility assessment about their proposed research projects. ROCRS is implemented by OCTRI's Community Research Liaisons within the (mostly) rural communities in which they live and serve. 

Conducting research outside of an academic institution, in communities where different sets of skills and solutions are identified and necessary, is truly an exciting challenge!