Policy Researcher, RAND; Professor of Policy Analysis, RAND School of Public Policy
Alina I. Palimaru is a policy researcher at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. With a background in health services research, she combines rigorous mixed-methods design with innovative visual storytelling. Her approach integrates quantitative analysis with qualitative depth, enhanced by award-winning film production and narrative development skills that facilitate stakeholder engagement and policy translation. Her substantive expertise sits broadly at the juncture of poverty and health. She works with various communities across the lifespan to understand and improve conditions and behaviors that lead to better health and quality of life. She has experience with community-based research, having worked on multi-stakeholder projects requiring both methodological pragmatism and effective communication across various audiences.
Recognizing that impactful research requires compelling communication, Palimaru has pioneered innovative approaches to knowledge transfer through award-winning films. Her recent productions have garnered 20+ international awards, including a 2026 Gold Telly Award for Craft Motion Graphics and Design, 2025 Gold and Silver Collision Awards for social impact, hand-drawn animation, and audience choice; multiple Silver and Bronze Telly Awards for impact, policy & legislation, animation, motion graphics & design, and accessibility; and several Platinum and Gold dotCOMM Awards.
Palimaru holds a Ph.D. in health policy and management from 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.
Ph.D. in health policy, University of California, Los Angeles; M.P.P. in public policy, American University; B.A. in history, Drexel University
