Katy B. Kozhimannil PhD, MPA

Dr. Kozhimannil Ph.D., MPA is an Associate Professor in the Division of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota, and Director of Research at the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. She applies the tools of health policy and health services research to the field of women’s health, with a focus on maternal and child health. Dr. Kozhimannil earned her master's degree in public policy at Princeton University and holds a Ph.D. in health policy from Harvard University. She completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Kozhimannil conducts research to inform the development, implementation, and evaluation of health policy that impacts health care delivery, quality, and outcomes during the perinatal period. The goal of her scholarly work is to contribute to the evidence base for clinical and policy strategies to improve maternal and child health and wellbeing and to collaborate with stakeholders in making a policy change to facilitate improved health for women and their families.

Dr. Kozhimannil’s research, published in major journals such as JAMA, Science, Health Affairs, American Journal of Public Health, Medical Care, and the American Journal of Managed Care, has been widely cited in the burgeoning academic literature on perinatal care quality improvement. Media coverage of her research, including feature stories by the New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report, and The Huffington Post, has generated dialogue, interest, and policy action at local, state, and national levels. In addition to conducting research, Dr. Kozhimannil teaches courses that build skills for effective engagement in the policy process and works extensively with community organizations and state and federal policymakers on efforts to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities, starting at birth.