{"id":1638,"date":"2015-10-19T17:42:36","date_gmt":"2015-10-19T17:42:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/fammed\/rhrc\/?page_id=1638"},"modified":"2026-09-09T14:26:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T21:26:45","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3>WWAMI RHRC&#8217;s Mission<\/h3>\n<p>The mission of the WWAMI* Rural Health Research Center (RHRC) is to improve and sustain rural health through research that engages policymakers, planners, and practitioners advancing equity in rural access to care.<\/p>\n<h3>About the Research Center<\/h3>\n<p>The WWAMI RHRC conducts policy-oriented research with an emphasis on the rural health care workforce and access to care. Established in 1988, the WWAMI RHRC is based in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and works closely with our co-located research center, the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies. We also collaborate with and serve as a resource to other academic departments and schools, government agencies, professional organizations, and other stakeholders regionally and nationally.<\/p>\n<p>The WWAMI RHRC team spans multiple disciplines, including sociology, biostatistics, geography, health economics, medicine, and allied health, benefiting from the expertise of clinician researchers in many of our studies. Our major areas of inquiry include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Rural health care provider supply and demand<\/li>\n<li>Training, recruitment, and retention of rural health professionals<\/li>\n<li>Geographic access to home health, obstetrical, behavioral health, and emergency medical services<\/li>\n<li>Access to specific therapies and treatments, such as recommended cancer screening and medication for opioid use disorder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In all of our work, we seek to provide policymakers, planners, and providers with evidence to inform health care policy and practice to improve rural health.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 75%;\">*Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Leadership<\/h2>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"\/assets\/images\/people\/gravesj.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Janessa Graves\" \/>\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Janessa M. Graves, PhD MPH<\/strong><br \/>Associate Professor, Family Medicine<br \/>Director &#8211; WWAMI Rural Health Research Center<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/rhrc\/profile\/?id=15266&amp;type=faculty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/09\/Andrilla-Headshot-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Holly Andrilla\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Holly Andrilla, MS<\/strong><br \/>Research Scientist<br \/>Deputy Director &#8211; WWAMI Rural Health Research Center,<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/rhrc\/profile\/?id=8105&amp;type=staff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Research Team<\/h2>\n<h3>Collaborating Faculty<\/h3>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/brittany_blanchard.png\" alt=\"Brittany Blanchard\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Brittany E. Blanchard, PhD, MA<\/strong><br \/>Assistant Professor<br \/>\nDepartment of Psychiatry &#038; Behavioral Sciences<br \/>\nUW School of Medicine <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/psychiatry.uw.edu\/profile\/brittany-blanchard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/joseph_dieleman.png\" alt=\"Joseph Dieleman\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Joseph Dieleman, PhD MA <\/strong><br \/>Professor, Health Metrics Sciences<br \/>\nDivision Lead, Resource Tracking, Institute for Health Metrics &#038; Evaluation, Health Metrics Sciences <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthdata.org\/about\/people\/joseph-dieleman\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"\/assets\/images\/people\/evansd.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"David Evans\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>David Evans, MD<\/strong><br \/>Professor and Rosenblatt Family Endowed Professor in Rural Health,<br \/>Director &#8211; RUOP | Underserved Pathway<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/rhrc\/profile\/?id=7684&amp;type=faculty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/chris_longenecker.png\" alt=\"Chris Longenecker\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Chris Longenecker <\/strong><br \/>Professor of Medicine- Cardiology &#038; Global Health<br \/>\nWerner E. Samson Endowed Professorship in Cardiology<br \/>\nDirector, Global Cardiovascular Health Program<br \/>\nUW School of Medicine <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/globalhealth.washington.edu\/faculty\/chris-longenecker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/longeneckerr.large_.jpg\" alt=\"Randy Longenecker\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Randy Longenecker, MD  <\/strong><br \/>Assistant Dean Emeritus, Rural and Underserved Programs and Professor of Family Medicine, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohio.edu\/experts\/expert\/randall-longenecker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"\/assets\/images\/people\/mrozt.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Tracy Mroz\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Tracy Mroz, PhD, OTR\/L<\/strong><br \/>Associate Professor, Rehabilitation Medicine<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Research Staff<\/h3>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"\/assets\/images\/people\/nophoto.png\" alt=\"Lisa Garberson\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Lisa Garberson, PhD, MBA<\/strong><br \/>Research Scientist &#8211; WWAMI Rural Health Research Center<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/rhrc\/profile\/?id=7950&amp;type=staff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"\/assets\/images\/people\/ostern.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Natalia Oster\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Natalia Oster<\/strong><br \/>Research Scientist &#8211; WWAMI Rural Health Research Center<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/rhrc\/profile\/?id=9478&amp;type=staff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #191e23;\">Profile<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"\/assets\/images\/people\/woolcocks.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Sara Woolcock\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Sara Woolcock<\/strong><br \/>Research Scientist &#8211; WWAMI Rural Health Research Center<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/rhrc\/profile\/?id=9560&amp;type=staff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #191e23;\">Profile<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Administrative Staff<\/h3>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"\/assets\/images\/people\/keenes.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Shannen Keene\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Shannen Keene<\/strong><br \/>Grants Manager<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/rhrc\/profile\/?id=15235&#038;type=staff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"\/assets\/images\/people\/marshallb.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Beverly Marshall, BA\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Beverly Marshall, BA<\/strong><br \/>Program Assistant<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/rhrc\/profile\/?id=7955&amp;type=staff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Students, Residents, and Fellows<\/h3>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/tate_atkinson.png\" alt=\"Tate Atkinson\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Tate Atkinson, MD, MPH<\/strong><br \/>\nResident, Family Medicine (Research Track)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/nathan_maris.png\" alt=\"Nathan Maris\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Nathan Maris, MD <\/strong><br \/>\nFellow, General Cardiology<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table class=\"directory\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100\">\n<div class=\"squared\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/megan_wynecoop.png\" alt=\"Megan Wynecoop\" \/><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"528\"><strong>Megan Wynecoop, MPH<\/strong><br \/>\nPhD Student, Health Services<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1638","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1638"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5723,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1638\/revisions\/5723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/rhrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}