Carla Willis, PhD, Ma
About Carla Willis, PhD, Ma
Carla Willis, PhD, MA, serves as a Principal Research Associate at the Urban Institute and contributes to the AUC DSI Affiliate Program, enhancing data science impact in the Atlanta University Center. She has held various roles in health policy and data analytics across several institutions, including the Georgia Department of Community Health and Georgia State University.
Work at Urban Institute
Carla Willis serves as a Principal Research Associate at the Urban Institute, a position she has held since 2022. In this role, she focuses on research initiatives that aim to enhance the understanding and application of data science in various contexts. Her work contributes to the Urban Institute's mission of providing data-driven insights to inform policy and practice.
Current Roles in Academia and Health Policy
In addition to her role at the Urban Institute, Carla Willis is actively involved in academia and health policy. She has been serving as Adjunct Faculty at Morehouse School of Medicine since 2022, where she contributes to the educational development of students. Additionally, she holds the position of Associate Project Director at the Georgia Health Policy Center, also since 2022, where she engages in projects aimed at improving health policy outcomes.
Previous Experience at Georgia Department of Community Health
Carla Willis has extensive experience with the Georgia Department of Community Health. She served as Interim Director of Performance, Quality, and Outcomes for five months in 2019, followed by a two-year tenure as Director of Performance, Quality, and Outcomes from 2020 to 2022. Additionally, she worked as Associate Director of Data Analytics and Decision Support for nine months in 2019, where she focused on enhancing data analytics capabilities within the department.
Education and Expertise
Carla Willis holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Political Science and Government from The Ohio State University, which she completed from 2004 to 2010. She also earned a Master of Arts (MA) in the same field from The Ohio State University from 2004 to 2006. Earlier, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis from 1999 to 2003. Her educational background equips her with a strong foundation in research and analysis.
Contributions to Data Science Community
Carla Willis actively participates in the Atlanta University Center Data Science Initiative (AUC DSI) Affiliate Program. This initiative aims to support faculty and staff in advancing data science research and teaching. Through her involvement, she fosters collaboration and strengthens the data science community within the Atlanta University Center, amplifying the impact of data science beyond her immediate institution.