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Ayana Perkins

Senior Advisor at Integrative Health Research and Evaluation

Atlanta, United States

Dr. Ayana Perkins is a nationally recognized public health leader, community psychologist, and behavioral scientist with over 20 years of experience advancing equity in behavioral health, environmental justice, and evaluation science.

She has strengthened the impact and sustainability of national public health efforts through leadership roles and projects with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, The Clinton Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. A systems thinker and accomplished advisor, she has led national health campaigns, developed inclusive evaluation frameworks, and guided emergency response efforts focused on communities and sectors with limited access to resources.

As a national policy contributor, she co-authored major federal strategies including the Federal Plan for Equitable Long-Term Recovery and Resilience and the Environmental Justice, Science, Data, and Research Plan—both designed to embed equity and resilience into U.S. public health and environmental systems.

She is also the founder of Integrative Health Research and Evaluation, a nonprofit organization advancing innovation in public health, community resilience, and mind-body wellness. Dr. Perkins leads a national network of top consultants in data science, research, evaluation, public health, environmental science, emergency response, and community resilience. She is a sought-after speaker, published researcher, and mentor to emerging public health leaders.

Available For: Advising, Authoring, Consulting, Influencing, Speaking
Travels From: Atlanta, Georgia
Speaking Topics: Evaluation, Public Health, Community Development, Resilience, Joy, Mind-Body Health, Subjective Well-being, Environmental Justice, Health Equity, Comm

Ayana Perkins Points
Academic 15
Author 0
Influencer 1
Speaker 10
Entrepreneur 0
Total 26

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Company Information

Company Type: Company
Business Unit: Strategic Planning & Systems Design Unit, Evaluation & Research Unit, Partnership Development & Enga
Theatre: North America
Minimum Project Size: $5,000+
Average Hourly Rate: $200-$300
Number of Employees: 1-10
Company Founded Date: 2015
Media Experience: 5 years
Last Media Training: 09/14/2021
Last Media Interview: 03/07/2025

Areas of Expertise

Analytics 30.04
Change Management
Climate Change 31.08
Coaching
Creativity
Culture
Design
Design Thinking 30.04
Diversity and Inclusion 30.45
Ecosystems
Education
Future of Work
Health and Safety
Health and Wellness 30.80
Healthcare 32.02
Innovation 30.53
Leadership 30.08
Mental Health 30.37
Project Management
Social
Sustainability 31.68

Industry Experience

Federal & Public Sector
Healthcare
Higher Education & Research
Other
Professional Services

Publications

1 Influencer Newsletter
Setting Yourself Up For Success in Qualitative Data Collection
American Evaluation Association
August 04, 2021
In fact, interviews and focus groups are wonderful ways to encourage satisfaction and when done right, the evaluator can walk away with credible findings and the participant can leave renewed and excited about participating in the data collection event.

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Tags: Analytics, Design Thinking, Innovation

3 Journal Publications
Expanding the Lens From Health Outcomes to Learn More About Key Stakeholders and the Structural Factors as a Pathway Toward Health Equity
American Journal of Evaluation
October 08, 2023
Comparatively worse health outcomes persist for historically underserved populations relative to their more privileged peers due to systemic health inequities in the United States and worldwide. The relationship between preventable health differences and social injustice is salient, with recurring media coverage of viral outbreaks and court cases of police brutality bringing it to public attention. Rather than waiting for social determinants of health to be explicit in health interventions, an evaluator can use their interest in equity as an entry point. Similar equity-driven strategies were chosen in each case summary, resulting in capacity development, new community perspectives, and measurement of conditions supporting health equity.

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Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Health and Wellness, Mental Health

Case analyses of state-sponsored asthma quality improvement interventions - benefits and technical assistance efforts
Journal of Asthma
January 04, 2021
Objective: A cross-case analysis was used to discover how two states benefited from expanded use of evaluation for asthma quality improvement initiatives. If an asthma quality improvement (QI) initiative is successfully evaluated, data can inform how to effectively integrate clinical practice guidelines and circumvent non-clinical reasons that interrupt QI projects such as low staff interest. This article addresses a gap in the literature on quality of evaluation support needed to improve and sustain asthma QI at local health care organizations by describing the similar discoveries observed at two independent QI statewide initiatives in Indiana and Montana.

Methods: As part of a larger review, two states funded through the National Asthma Control Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were identified based on similarities in evaluation approaches. Each state used an iterative stakeholder-driven evaluation approach, mixed methods, process evaluation indicators, and active use of evaluation findings. The asthma QI initiatives and evaluations in Indiana and Montana were coordinated independent of each other.

Results: Although both states found that asthma QI initiatives improved health outcomes, evaluation data were able to further pinpoint areas that would improve quality of technical support to health care organizations and identify markers of sustainability, such as nontraditional benefits to staff, and intervention sites.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that when evaluation is used to guide implementation, data are available to develop site-specific assistance and identify sustainability markers to prevent interruption of positive health outcomes associated with an asthma QI initiative.

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Tags: Health and Wellness, Innovation, Sustainability

A Case Study on the Utility of Sustained Evaluation Practice in Public Health Partnership
INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
October 20, 2018
This article explores a case study of the potential influence of a capacity building investment toward public health partnerships (PHPs) targeting asthma. This case study explores what factors were salient among PHPs who were indirect recipients of a funder’s capacity building. Our case study suggests that a funder’s capacity building efforts may be linked to evaluation practice guidelines and decisions toward individual and organizational level use of evaluation use within partnerships. Moreover, examining the contextual factors that were associated with the evaluation of these PHPs explicates where adjustments may be needed in applying capacity building to the PHP setting. This case study has implications for future health planning policies.

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Tags: Healthcare, Leadership, Sustainability

1 Keynote
Humane Housing and Health Equity
International Society of Exposure Science
August 27, 2023
This presentation explored humane housing across different domains of health and well being

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Tags: Climate Change, Innovation, Sustainability

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