About

The Methods and Data Council is currently Chaired by Dr. Anupa Bir, Senior Vice President at RTI International, and Dr. Suzanne Tamang, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Stanford School of Medicine, will serve as Vice Chair. The Methods and Data Council is comprised of 15 members representing the multiple disciplinary perspectives in health services and policy research. The Methods and Data Council meets twice per year, in the summer at the Annual Research Meeting, and in the fall via a web-based meeting.

The Methods and Data Council has five primary responsibilities:

  1. Advise AcademyHealth leadership in identifying trends, opportunities, challenges and needs related to existing and emerging methods used in HSR as well as in data collection, quality, security, storage, curation, availability, and accessibility for research.
  2. Inform the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of existing and new member benefits, programs, and services that are responsive to the needs of our members and the needs of those practicing methods and data analysis in the field of HSR.
  3. Guide planning committees on emerging and relevant methods and data offerings at the ARM and other relevant AcademyHealth sponsored conferences.
  4. Provide input to the AcademyHealth Committee on Advocacy and Public Policy to inform the development of AcademyHealth’s official public comments;
  5. Facilitate collaboration between the Methods and Data Council and the Education Council, AcademyHealth members, HSR training program directors, and AcademyHealth leadership on AcademyHealth’s activities related to research methods and data.

Chair

Anupa Bir
Committee Member

Anupa Bir, Sc.D., M.P.H.

Senior Vice President - Health Practice Area, RTI International

Dr. Anupa Bir is a health economist at RTI International, where she leads a division of 200+ researchers. Read Bio

 

Vice Chairs

Suzanne_Tamang_headshot
Committee Member, Presenter

Suzanne Tamang, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor - Stanford University School of Medicine

Dr. Suzanne Tamang is an Assistant Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine and a Senior Comput... Read Bio

Meet the 2025 Members

Anupa Bir
Committee Member

Anupa Bir, Sc.D., M.P.H.

Senior Vice President - Health Practice Area, RTI International

Dr. Anupa Bir is a health economist at RTI International, where she leads a division of 200+ researchers. Read Bio

Benzer headshot
Committee Member

Justin Benzer, Ph.D.

Professor - UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

Justin Benzer, Ph.D., is Professor at the Implementation Science Institute at UTHealth Houston School of Publi... Read Bio

Robert_Tyler_Braun_headshot
Committee Member

Robert Tyler Braun, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor - Weill Cornell Medical College

Dr. Robert Tyler Braun is an assistant professor of population health sciences in the Division of Health Polic... Read Bio

Brittany_Brown_Podogorski_headshot
Committee Member

Brittany Brown-Podgorski, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor - University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health

Dr. Brittany Brown-Podgorski is an Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Pi... Read Bio

 

View all the Methods and Data Council Members »