Ireland & Associates, LLC
2018 to present – Consultant

  Conduct research and writing for health plans responding to Medicaid RFPs in different states

LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin
March 1997 to present – Researcher, Writer, Editor, Policy Analyst for various projects

  Researched, wrote, edited, and/or formatted various research publications for many professors over the years; topics have included managed mental health care, U.S./Mexico health policy, Medicare and Medicaid policy, labor policy, environmental policy, national security, public health, and obtaining health coverage for the uninsured, as well as copyediting the annual LBJ School Journal for several years

  Worked with a professor and several other researchers on two white papers (on Medicaid and SCHIP, and innovations in other states) and related research for a UT System task force; papers became Appendices B and C in the Code Red report

  Worked with a professor and another contract researcher on calculating the cost of cancer in Texas and an analysis of the literature on cancer prevention strategies (funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Texas Department of Health); our report won the James W. McGrew Research Award for Practitioner Research of the Year (May 2001) from the Centex Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration

Dell
2007 to present – Consultant

  Perform marketing-related research, writing, and other tasks (previously as subcontractor with Kolar from February 2005 to December 2007, now direct vendor)

Texas Health Institute
January 2012 to August 2016, November 2007 to June 2008, September to October 2007, March to November 2006, October 2001 to February 2002 – Researcher, Policy Analyst, Writer, Editor

  Working with Senior Research Scientist Dennis Andrulis and other staff on several related grant-funded projects involving researching and reporting on the impact of national health care reform measures on health care diversity and language and cultural competency provisions

  Researched and wrote policy briefs for forums on training the healthcare workforce in health information technology, the uninsured in Texas, and mental health care system transformation in Texas (2006-2008); wrote three grants to different foundations to obtain additional funding for the Institute’s health policy forums (2001-2002)

Sendero Health Plans (subcontracted through Dennis Edmonds & Associates LLC)
August to December 2011 – Consultant

  Assisted new Medicaid/CHIP HMO (owned by Central Health) in developing their internal policies and procedures required for operations and for state reviews

Austin Energy
August 2011 – Editor

  Copyedited three related reports on upcoming electrical rate changes and technical justifications

Rice University, Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, Houston, Texas
June 2010 to May 2011 – Consultant

  Assisted with research and analysis on a project for Rice University, in conjunction with Methodist Healthcare Ministries, that aims to assess the impact of national health care reform on vulnerable population groups in Texas

Texas Association of Local Health Officials (TALHO)
April to May 2010, November to December 2003, March to May 2001 – Grantwriter

 Wrote federal grant application to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a diabetes elimination program in Texas (2010)

 Wrote two grant applications to the Texas Department of Health in 2003 to apply for funds to develop several training programs on public health topics (2003)

 Wrote grant application to the Texas Department of Health’s Innovations Grants program in 2001 for a Public Health Peer Review process in Texas (TALHO is a statewide non-profit association of local health department directors)

Integrated Care Collaboration (ICC)
March to June 2009, July to August 2001, August to September 2000 – Grantwriter;  February to June 2001 – Meeting planner

 Wrote grant application to the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for a project on improving health care quality through health information technology

 Wrote grant application to the "Communities in Charge" program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; wrote grant application to Volunteers in Health Care for a planning and evaluation grant relating to a local physician volunteer program

 Performed preliminary planning and research for a physician summit meeting with local physicians, ICC board members, and members of Travis County Medical Society to explore the possibility of implementing an organized physician volunteer system for treating indigent patients in Central Texas

Entrepreneurs Foundation
January to April 2009 – Researcher, Writer

  Wrote a case study to document the successes of the foundation's breast cancer services project that was a collaboration of local health and social services agencies

Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
June to July 2008 – Researcher, Writer

  Rewrote section on financing and policy barriers to integration of mental and physical health care as part of an integration resource guide by the foundation

St. David's Community Health Foundation
May to October 2005 – Writer

  Worked with St. David's CHF staff to write a journal article to document the successes of the Theo Project, a collaboration to bring mobile dental services to underserved children in Austin-area schools

Texas Department of Health (now Texas Department of State Health Services)
Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System: April to May 2004 – Writer

  Wrote report on cardiovascular disease using 2003 BRFSS data

Traumatic Brain Injury Project: December 2001 to March 2003 – Evaluator

  Contracted to be the independent evaluator for the TBI project as required by their federal grant; developed and implemented evaluation and monitoring systems and did monthly (through 3/2002) and then quarterly (through 3/2003) evaluation reports; presented findings at several TBI Advisory Council meetings

Bureau of State Health Data and Policy Analysis: March 1998 to January 1999 – Planner III (long-term temporary)

  Completed final report to the Texas Legislature and other projects related to House Concurrent Resolution 44 of the 75th Legislature regarding improving the public health system in Texas

Carl Angel, Root Cause Project, St. David's Foundation
May to June 2003 – Researcher

  Researched various health insurance options and access to health care for a pilot project in an Austin neighborhood

People's Community Clinic
January 2003 – Grantwriter

  Wrote part of a grant for a non-profit health clinic

David Warner, Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs
December 1998 to July 2000, June 2002 to January 2003, June-July 2003 – Researcher, Writer

  Researched and wrote under subcontract for various external clients including San Diego Dialogue (paper on California/Mexico health issues), California Health Care Foundation (paper on U.S./Mexico health policy issues presented at conference in Mexico), and UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (updated a study on border health); edited and formatted paper on Trade in Health Services commissioned by the World Health Organization

  Performed subcontracted research and analysis for litigation and contract negotiations involving hospitals, surgicenters, HMOs, nursing homes, and other health-related entities

Texas Commission on Human Rights
April to May 2002 – Grantwriter

  Wrote a grant concerning fair housing education and outreach programs to the U.S. Department on Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Texas Health and Human Services Commission
June to September 2001 – Writer, Researcher

  Worked with the Research, Planning, and Evaluation department of HHSC to prepare written summaries of needs assessments, demographics, and forum results for various regions where community forums were held to gather local input for the state coordinated strategic plan for health and human services

Primary Care Department, City of Austin
April to May 2001 – Grantwriter

 Wrote grant application to the “New Start” program of the Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Patients' Assistance League (PAL)
October to November 2000 – Researcher

  Assisted in preparation of a grant proposal by costing out various activities that PAL, a non-profit organization that assists seriously-ill patients and caregivers with health insurance issues and other support, plans to undertake in order to do a needs assessment and plan the future of the organization

Research and Planning Consultants, Inc.
November 1997 to March 1998 – Consultant

  Worked on project for a joint study committee of the Tennessee General Assembly that involved research on proposed legislation regarding managed care issues and patient protections, identifying standards and forming recommendations for the state of Tennessee; wrote section of final report and testified in front of the study committee twice on my analysis and recommendations

Texas Health Care Information Council
June to July 1997 – Researcher, Writer

  Researched and wrote a report for the Quality Methods and Consumer Education Technical Advisory Committee of the THCIC on risk-severity adjustment methods used by other states to adjust their hospital outcomes data in order to make meaningful comparisons between providers

Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department
January to May 1997 – Auditor (unpaid, received graduate course credit)

  Worked independently under the Director of Internal Audit on performance audits of health and human services programs; collected data and reported findings and recommendations on various areas; participated in audit meetings with departments and presentation of results to Executive Committee

Texas Medical Association
May to August 96, October 96 to January 97 – Researcher/Writer, Division of Health and Scientific Affairs

  Researched and wrote the "State of the State in Public Health--1996" report for the TMA Council on Public Health and TMA leadership

 Researched and wrote position paper for the TMA Council on Public Health on the status of public health in Texas, focusing on the closings and cutbacks of local health departments and public clinics throughout the stat