Ph.D. in health policy, UC Los Angeles; M.P.P. in public policy, American University; B.A. in history, Drexel University
This researcher is available for interviews.
To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.
More ExpertsAlina I. Palimaru is a policy researcher at RAND and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. With a background in mixed methods, her research focuses on the juncture of poverty and health, including health outcomes measurement, quality of life, disability, mental health and substance use disorders, housing, homelessness, and food insecurity. She has been studying the impact of quality of care on quality of life in the context of disabling pathologies (e.g., spinal cord injury), but also across the lifespan.
Because communication is a vital component of research, Palimaru has in parallel with her academic activities pursued the complementary discipline of knowledge transfer, through polished presentations (substance with style), and as a producer and coproducer on a series of award-winning films in health care. In recent years, her films and webinars garnered eight awards: two Bronze Awards at the 2023 Telly Awards (social impact and animation), and three Platinum and three Gold Awards at the 2023 dotCOMM Awards across several categories. In 2013, as associate producer on the award-winning Spinal Injury Patient Film (www.spinalinjury.tv), and Choosing a Wheelchair (www.choosingawheelchair.com), Palimaru played a key role in the development and production of patient-centered communications. These successful films were adopted as communication tools by NHS spinal injury centers and UK NGOs.
Palimaru holds a Ph.D. in health policy and management from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, an M.P.P. from American University, and a B.A. in history, politics, and communication from Drexel University. She aspires to do things that matter.
