Alumni Graduate Students & Fellows

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Yilin Chen
MPH 2018, University of Washington; BS 2016, Wuhan University, China
Dissertation: Evaluating Heterogeneity in Treatment Effects and Economic Value of Tumor-Agnostic Drugs
Chair: Josh Carlson, MPH, PhD
Current Position: Senior Research Associate, Curta

Sabra Zaraa 
MPH 2018, University of Washington; PharmD 2015, University of Monastir  
Dissertation: Health and economic burden of substandard and falsified  Medicines 
Chair: Andy Stergachis, PhD, BPharm
Current Position: Senior Scientist, Oncology Outcomes Research at AstraZeneca

Master of Science Graduates:

Zach Baldwin  
PharmD 2022 and BS 2017, University of Washington
Thesis: Impact of Device-Aided Therapy Initiation on Oral Medication  Treatment Patterns in People with Parkinson’s Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis 
Chair: Beth Devine, PhD, PharmD, MBA
Current Position: Manager, HEOR Strategy, AbbVie

Spencer Jane Cheng 
PharmD 2022, University of Washington; BS 2016, University of California, Davis  
Thesis: Productivity Loss by cancer stage in patients newly-diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma
Co-Chairs: Dave Veenstra, PhD, PharmD and Aasthaa Bansal, PhD  
Current Position: Manager, Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Neurocrine Biosciences

Arvind Katta
PharmD 2022, BS 2021, Northeastern University  
Thesis: Treatment Patterns of Patients Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Patients Who Have Bled on Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) 
Current Position: Senior Manager, Bayer, New York City Metropolitan Area

Hyunwoo Kim
PharmD 2022, BS 2020, University of Pittsburgh  
Thesis: Understanding the diagnosing providers for commercially-insured patients with Huntington Disease and their association with treatment preferences and costs using retrospective claims data” 
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PhD, PharmD
Current Position: Manager, Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Neurocrine Biosciences

Jae Rok Kim 
PharmD 2022, University of Michigan; BA 2017, University of California Berkeley 
Thesis: Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs Associated with  Misdiagnosis of Migraine 
Chair: Beth Devine, PhD, PharmD, MBA
Current Position: Manager, HEOR, AbbVie

Stella Youngeun Ko 
PharmD 2022, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; BS 2017, University of California Los Angeles  
Thesis: Productivity loss among commercially insured non-elderly patients with diabetic macular edema in two eyes: a retrospective claims analysis in the United States 
Co-Chairs: Dave Veenstra, PhD, PharmD and Aasthaa Bansal, PhD
Current Position: Manager, HEOR, Genentech, San Francisco, CA 

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Samantha Clark
MS 2013, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; BA 2008, St. Mary’s College of Maryland Dissertation: Investigating the effect of Gleevec list price on adherence and outcomes in Medicare patients with chronic myeloid leukemia 
Chair: Anirban Basu, PhD
Current Position: Director, Medicus Economics, Boston, MA 

Boshen Jiao
MPH 2016, EHESP – School of Public Health, Paris, France; BA 2014, Fudan University, China
Dissertation: Value of Expanding First-Line Treatment Choices: New Metrics for Economic Evaluation
Chair: Anirban Basu, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical and Health Economics at University of Southern California

Woojung Lee
PharmD 2016, Seoul National University; Korea; BS 2012, Biology, Yonsei University
Dissertation: Investing in Clinical Trials for Older Adults: The Value and Challenges of Older Adult-Specific Clinical Trials
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, Health Economics and Decision Modeling at ICER

Enrique Saldarriaga-Baron
MS 2017, Epidemiology, University, Cayetano Heredia, Peru; BS 2015, Economics, Universidad Del Pacifico, Peru
Dissertation:The Value of using local data to allocate resources to fight the HIV Epidemic. Case of study in Atlanta, Georgia
Chair: Anirban Basu, PhD
Current Position: Prevention Effectiveness Fellow, Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia

Master of Science Graduates:

Gina Ahmadyar
PharmD 2021, University of California San Francisco; BS 2017, University of California Santa Barbara
Thesis: Treatment Patterns and Economic Burden of Post Cataract Macular Edema
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Manager, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, AbbVie

Annaliza Dominguez
PharmD, MS, 2021, University of Southern California; BS 2016 University of California San Diego
Thesis: Evaluating the effect of treatment satisfaction on future spending for professional cosmetic treatments among aesthetically conscious U.S. adults
Chair: Josh Carlson, PhD
Current Position: Manager, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, AbbVie

Qixin (Sandy) Li
PharmD 2021, BS 2016, University of Hawaii Hilo
Thesis: Association of Comorbidities with Healthcare Resource Utilization and Cost for Post-discharge Heart Failure Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Senior Scientist, Oncology Outcomes Research, Astra Zeneca

Tommy Majda
PharmD 2021, BS 2015, Creighton University
Thesis: Demographic, Geographic, and Clinical Characteristics Associated with Receipt of Influenza Outpatient Oral Antiviral Treatment in Commercially Insured US Patients: An Exploration of Potential Health Disparities
Chair: Zachary Marcum, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Health Economist, Genentech

Justin Nedzesky
PharmD, BS 2021, Duquesne University
Thesis: Absenteeism associated with gynecologic cancer in the United States
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Senior Manager, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Neurocrine Biosciences

Joseph Yang
PharmD 2021, University of Maryland, Baltimore; BS 2016, University at Buffalo, SUNY
Thesis: Healthcare resource utilization and costs among multiple myeloma patients with double- or triple-class exposure: a retrospective U.S. claims database analysis
Chair: Douglas Barthold, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, HEOR Value Demonstration. Boehringer Ingelheim

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Shuxian Chen
MA 2015, Duke University; BA 2013, Nanjing University, China
Dissertation: Evaluating Recent Policies to Accelerate Generic Drug Entry
Chair: Anirban Basu, PhD
Current Position: Machine Learning Engineer at Meta

Erik Landaas
MPH 2006, University of Washington; BA 1991, Evergreen State College
Dissertation: An Evaluation of the Development and Effectiveness of a Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA) Program at the University of Washington Medical Center
Chair: Sean D. Sullivan, BScPharm, PhD
Current Position: Senior Manager, Global HEOR, Market Access and Value Strategy, W. L. Gore & Associates

Tricia Rodriguez
MPH 2017, University of Washington; BS 2011, De Paul University
Dissertation: Evaluating the Clinical Utility of a New Risk Prediction Model in Cystic Fibrosis
Chair: Aasthaa Bansal, PhD
Current Position: Principal Applied Scientist, Truveta

Naomi Schwartz
MPH 2018 University of Washington; BA 2016, Pitzer College
Dissertation: Dietary Therapy for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Epidemiologic and Economic Analysis
Chair: Beth Devine, PhD, PharmD, MBA
Current Position: Data Scientist, BioMarin

Lauren Strand
MS 2016 University of Washington; BA 2010 Wellesley College
Dissertation: Cannabis substitution for prescription drugs: understanding longitudinal trends in the era of legal cannabis
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, HEOR at Alkermes

Master of Science Graduates:

Kimberly Cai
PharmD 2020, BS 2016 University of Maryland Baltimore
Thesis: Healthcare resource use and costs associated with chronic migraines vs. non-migraine controls and episodic migraines vs. non-migraine controls
Chair: Beth Devine, PhD, PharmD, MBA
Current Position: Senior Manager, HEOR, Amgen

Eunice Kim
PharmD 2020, BS 2016, University of Washington
Thesis: Healthcare utilization and expenditures of parents with and without hemophilia A children
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Health Economist, Genentech

Gilbert Ko
PharmD 2020, MBA 2018, BA 2015, University of Washington
Thesis: Comparing Costs and Healthcare Resource Utilization Between nmHSPC and mHSPC Patients: A Retrospective Claims Analysis
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Manager, Research Strategy (HEOR & RWE), Bayer

Jenny Yeonhee Park
PharmD 2020, University of Illinois Chicago; BA 2014, University of Chicago
Thesis: Prescribing of Alzheimers Disease Treatments by Provider Type and Geographic Region: A Comparison among Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants
Chair: Zachary Marcum, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, Observational Research at Amgen

Tae Jin (TJ) Park
PharmD 2020, University of California San Francisco; BA 2016, University of California Berkeley
Thesis: Evaluating Healthcare Resource Utilization and Associated Costs for Patients with New-onset Post-operative Atrial Fibrillation
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, Health Economics & Outcomes Research, AbbVie

Jacob Silvers
PharmD 2020, University of Arizona
Thesis: Treatment Patterns Among Metastatic Esophageal Cancer Patients in the US: A Retrospective Analysis of Health Insurance Claims Data
Chair: Josh Carlson, PhD
Current Position: Operations Research/Systems Analyst, U.S. Army

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Elizabeth Brouwer
BA 2011, MPH 2013, University of Michigan
Dissertation: Exploring the uptake of value-based formulary strategies and their application to specialty drugs
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, Curta

Nathaniel Hendrix
BA 2004, Southwest Texas State University; PharmD 2015, University of Washington
Dissertation: Using Health Economics Tools to Enhance the Clinical Utility of Artificial Intelligence-Based Diagnostics: A Case Study in Breast Cancer Screening
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Data Scientist & Researcher, American Board of Family Medicine

Wei-Jhih Wang
BS 2006, Chang-Gung University Taiwan; MS 2008 National Taiwan University; MS 2015, University of Washington
Dissertation: Mimicking Clinical Trials Using Real-World Data – A Novel Method and Applications
Chair: Anirban Basu, PhD
Current Position: Senior Manager for HEOR/RWE at Moderna

Master of Science Graduates:

Brennan Beal
BS 2015, North Carolina State University; PharmD 2019, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Thesis: Comparing healthcare resource use and costs for patients with Normal Tension Glaucoma across levels of severity: a nationally representative sample of commercially insured US adults age 40 and older
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Senior Data Scientist, Flatiron Health

Ashley Cha
BA 2015, PharmD 2019, University of Illinois at Chicago
Thesis: Annual Out-of-Pocket Costs and Productivity Loss Among Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease Compared to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Director, Value & Evidence, COVID Antiviral, Pfizer

David Fox
BS, San Francisco State University; PharmD 2019, University of Washington
Thesis: Nusinersen Treatment and Healthcare Costs in Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Health Economist- Oncology, Genentech

He Karen Guo
BS 2007, Peking University; MS 2010, London School of Economics; MPP 2017, Univ of Chicago
Thesis: Should we be studying family communication tools to improve cascade testing in genomics? A value-of-information analysis in Lynch syndrome.
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, Iveric Bio

Samuel Hong
BS 2013, University of California, San Diego; PharmD, 2019, University of Illinois at Chicago
Thesis: The impact of cost sharing on adherence to ibrutinib for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Director, Global Health Economics & Outcomes Research at Agilent Technologies

Jae Hyun Lee
BS 2013, University of California, San Diego; PharmD, 2019, University of Illinois at Chicago
Thesis: Geographic Variation in the Use of Triptans and Opioids for the Acute Treatment of Migraine Attacks
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director in HEOR, AbbVie

Phoebe Wright
BS 2010, University of Tennessee Knoxville; PharmD 2019, University of Washington
Thesis: Indirect Costs Associated with Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Positive (HER2+) Metastatic Breast Cancer
Chair: Josh Carlson, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, Patient Centered Outcomes, Agios Pharmaceuticals

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Kangho Suh
PharmD 2011, Rutgers University; MS 2013, University of Texas Austin
Dissertation: The comparative effectiveness, safety, value, and adherence of newer P2Y12 inhibitors versus clopidogrel in the context of heterogeneity
Chair: Anirban Basu, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh

Simrun Grewal
MHS, 2013, Johns Hopkins University
Dissertation: Biosimilar uptake in the United States: Examining state-level longitudinal trends in biosimilar filgrastim use and their association with biosimilar substitution policies
Chair: Josh Carlson, PhD
Current Position: Commercial Strategy & Innovation – Director, Oncology Business Assessments at Pfizer

Master of Science Graduates:

Shalak Gunjal
BPharm 2011, University of Pune, India; MS 2014, University of Houston.
Thesis: Healthcare Utilization and Costs associated with Sickle-cell disease in the United States: A Retrospective Claims Analysis
Chair: Anirban Basu, PhD
Current Position: Medical Evidence Lead – Oncology RWE, AstraZeneca

Thomas Hopkins
BS 2014, Loyola University of Chicago; PharmD 2018, University of Illinois Chicago
Thesis: Surgical Costs Associated with the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: PhD Student, HEOR, The CHOICE Institute

Ashley Kim
BS 2012, University of California Los Angeles; PharmD 2018, University of San Francisco
Thesis: Characterizing the Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs By Disease Severity Among Patients with Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Chair: Aasthaa Bansal, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, Health Economics & Outcomes Research at GRAIL

Eddie Neuberger
BS 2013, University of Maryland; PharmD 2017, University of Maryland; MBA, 2018, University of Baltimore.
Thesis: Evaluating Methods to Estimate United States Multiple Sclerosis Prevalence from Administrative Health Claims Data
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Senior Manager, Seagen

Jamie Ta
BS 2013, PharmD 2018, University of California San Diego
Thesis: Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs Associated with Non-Adherence to Pharmacotherapy for Major Depressive Disorder
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, Health Economics and Outcomes Research at AbbVie

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Blythe Adamson
MPH, 2009, University of Washington; BS, 2006, University of Washington.
Dissertation: Mathematical Models to Evaluate the Clinical and Economic Impact of Biomedical HIV Prevention Strategies in the United States
Chair: Louis Garrison, PhD
Current Position: Head of Outcomes Research and Evidence Generation, International

Mark Bounthavong
PharmD, 2004, Western University; MPH, 2013, Emory University.
Dissertation: Evaluation of the impact of the Veterans Affairs National Academic Detailing on naloxone prescribed
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position(s): Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego

Devender S. Dhanda
BS, 1999, GJ Univeristy Hisar, India; MBA, 2001 Panjab University Chandigarh, India; MS, 2007, University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha.
Dissertation: Innovation, Value, and Uncertainty in Oncology Precision Medicine
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Worldwide HEOR Associate Director, Bristol-Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ

Meng Li
BS in Pharmaceutical Science, 2011, Sun Yat-sen University, China; MS, 2013, Johns Hopkins University.
Dissertation: The Real Option Value of Life and Innovation
Chair: Louis Garrison, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health (CEVR)

Master of Science Graduates:

Lauren Chin
BS, 2012 , University of Southern California; PharmD, 2017, University of Washington
Thesis: Factors Associated With Direct Health Care Costs among Commercially-Insured Patients With Metastatic Ovarian Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis
Chair: Josh Carlson, MPH, PhD
Current Position: Pharmacist, Formulary Resources

Horacio Duarte
BA, 2006, Harvard College; MD, 2011, University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
Thesis: Cost-effectiveness analysis of pre-ART HIV drug resistance testing in Kenya
Chair: Joseph Babigumira, MBChB, MS, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health

Sara Higa
BS, 2012, Georgetown University; MS, 2013, Georgetown University; PharmD, 2017, University of Maryland Baltimore.
Thesis: Psoriasis Treatment Patterns: A Retrospective Claims Study
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director, HEOR, Agios Pharmaceuticals 

Chiemeka Ike
BS, 2009, Morgan State University; MPH, 2011, George Washington University; PharmD, 2017, University of Houston.
Thesis: Treatment Patterns, Switching, and Cycling of Acute Medications for Migraine: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Director, North America Evidence and Value Development (Oncology), EMD Serono, Inc.

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Solomon Lubinga, MSc, PhD
Dissertation: Demand for medical male circumcision for HIV prevention: the influence of economic and psychological factors and their policy implications
Chair: Anirban Basu, PhD
Current Position: Director, Value Evidence & Outcomes, GSK

Elisabeth Vodicka, MHA, PhD
Dissertation: Cervical Cancer in Low- Income Settings: Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of Screening and Treatment
Chair: Joseph Babigumira, MBChB, MS, PhD
Current Position: Director, HTA Value & Evidence, Primary Care, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases (Eliquis), Pfizer

Master of Science Graduates:

Laura Hart, BS, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Evaluating the Association Between Central Nervous System(CNS)-Active Medications and Falls in Older Adults with Dementia
Chair: Zachary Marcum, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington

Michael Serbin, BS, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Assessing the Societal Burden of Glaucoma Patience Not Suitable for Topical Medication Therapy
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Director, HEOR at Neurocrine Biosciences

Sheila Shapouri, BA, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Predicting Hospitalizations and Returns to the Emergency Department 30-Days Post Emergency Department Discharge Among Patients with Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Health Economist, Genentech

Lucille A. Sun, BA, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Risk of Depressive or Anxiety Disorders in Commercially Insured Patients with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) in the US: A retrospective Analysis
Chair: Josh Carlson, PhD, MPH
Current Position: Associate Director, Curta

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

William Canestaro, AB, MSc, PhD
Dissertation: Publication Bias: Development and Assessment of Methods for Adjustment and Quantification of Impact
Chair: Josh Carlson, PhD, MPH
Current Position: Managing Director, Washington Research Foundation (WRF)/ WRF Capital

Amy Morgan Cizik, BA, MPH, PhD
Dissertation: Variations in Surgeon Treatment Preferences and the Impact on the Cost-Utility of Surgery for Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Chair: Lou Garrison, PhD
Current Position: Research Assistant Professor, University of Utah Health

Cara McDermott, BA, PharmD, PhD
Dissertation: The Impact of Pre-existing Depression on Patient Outcomes among Older Adults with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Duke University

Marita Zimmermann (Mann), BS, MPH, PhD
Dissertation: Evaluation and Potential Cost-Effectiveness of Active Surveillance Pharmacovigilance for First-Line HAART in Namibia
Chair: Andy Stergachis, PhD
Current Position: Senior Research Economist, Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM), Seattle, WA

Master of Science Graduates: 

Sarah Baradaran, BS, PharmD, MS
Thesis: The Identification, Characterization, and Costs of Adverse Outcomes associated with Systemic Colistin in the Management of Severe MDR Gram Negative Infections
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Principal Scientist, Patient-Centered Endpoints & Strategy, Merck

Catherine M. Lockhart, PharmD, MS, PhD
Thesis: Value Assessment of Orphan Drugs and Treatments of Rare Diseases
Chair: Ryan Hansen, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Chief Science Officer, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)

Jean Malacan, PharmD, EM, MS
Thesis: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Addition of Bevacizumab to a Standard Chemotherapy Doublet in Patients with Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Chair: Josh Carlson, PhD, MPH
Current Position: Senior Director, Global (Ex-China) Value, Access & Pricing Hematology, BeiGene

Amy Tung, BA, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Characterizing Healthcare Utilization, Direct Costs, and Comorbidities Associated with Interstitial Cystitis: A Retrospective Claims Analysis
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Director, Curta

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Maria Agapova, MS, PhD
Dissertation: A Decision Framework for Quantifying Benefits and Harms of Diagnostic Imaging Tests
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Director, Value Engagement Scientist, AbbVie

Preeti S. Bajaj, BS, PhD
Dissertation: Assessing the Impact of Health Economics and Outcomes Research Evidence on Reimbursement Decisions in the United States
Chair: Lou Garrison, PhD
Current Position: Senior Director, Global Health Economics & Outcomes Research, Prothena

Carrie Savage Bennette, MPH, PhD
Dissertation: Prioritizing Research: The Use of Risk Prediction, Value of Information Analyses, and Portfolio Evaluation to Improve Public Investments in Cancer Clinical Trials
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Senior Manager, Data Science & ML Engineering, Paradigm

Elizabeth James, PharmD, PhD
Dissertation: Evaluation of a Prescription Drug Pay-for-Performance Program: Impact on Prescribing Trends, Budget and Patient Outcomes
Chair: Tom Hazlet, Dr P.H., PhD
Current Position: Director, Health Outcomes, Aventine Consulting, LLC

Norio Kasahara, BS, MPH, PhD
Dissertation: Assessing the Availability, Service Quality, and Price of Essential Medicines in Private Pharmacies in Afghanistan
Chair: Lou Garrison, PhD
Current Position: Chief of Party, Management Sciences for Health, Kabul Province, Afghanistan

Kai Yeung, PharmD, PhD
Dissertation: Impact of a Value Based Formulary on Health Services Utilization and Costs
Chair: Sean Sullivan, BScPharm, MS, PhD
Current Position: Senior Healthcare Research Scientist, Amazon

Master of Science Graduates:

Katelyn Keyloun, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Adherence Outcomes to Antidepressant Medication Therapy in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Director, R&D Digital and Data Strategy, AbbVie

Ryan Pistoresi, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Cost-Utility Analysis of Medications for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis from a United States Third Party Payer Perspective
Chair: Louis Garrison, Jr., PhD
Current Position: Assistant Chief Pharmacy Officer, Washington State Health Care Authority

Vanessa Shih, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Assessing the Burden of Worsening Self-Reported Vision in Older Americans
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Director, HTA, Value and Evidence, Pfizer

Justin Sammy Yu, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Indirect Costs and Outcomes Associated with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Chair: Josh Carlson, MPH, PhD
Current Position: Health Economics and Outcomes Research Consultant, Self-employed

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Katherine Gries, PharmD, MS, PhD
Dissertation: Influence of Perspective on Preferences for Prostate Cancer Outcomes
Chair: Donald Patrick, PhD
Current Position: Director, Patient Reported Outcomes at The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson

Master of Science Graduates:

Richard Kim, MD, MS
Thesis: A Cost Minimization Analysis of Home versus Lab-based Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Chair: Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD
Current Position: Medical Doctor, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, UW Medicine-Valley Medical Center and University of Washington Medical Center

Carlos Gallego, MD, MS
Thesis: Next Generation Sequencing Panels for the Evaluation of Colorectal Cancer and Polyposis Syndromes: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Acting Instructor, Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington

Tracy Yep, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Total and Disease Specific Healthcare Cost and Utilization of Glaucoma Patients
Chair: Beth Devine, PhD, MBA, PharmD
Current Position: Utilization Management and Specialty Coordinator, Kaiser Permanente WA

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Rafael Alfonso Cristancho, MD, MS, PhD
Dissertation: Bariatric Surgery for Severe Obesity: Determinants of Use and Economic Impact
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Senior Director- Value Evidence Lead, Respiratory Biologics, GSK

Master of Science Graduates:

Sara Forrester, PharmD, MS
Thesis: The Cost-Effectiveness of Oral Anti-Coagulants in Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Manager, Clinical Pharmacy Primary Care Programs at Kaiser Permanente Washington

Zsolt Hepp, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Adherence to Migraine Prophylactics: A Claims-Based Analysis of Chronic Migraine Patients
Chair: Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD
Current Position: Senior Director, Pfizer

Nita Khandelwal, MD, MS
Thesis: Rescue Therapies for Refractory Hypoxemia: An Exploratory Analysis of Survival & Cost
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Associate Professor, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, Harborview Medical Center

Christopher Wallick, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Classifying the Burden of Disease for Diabetic Macular Edema Patients Related to other Diabetic Patients in Regard to Health Care Utilization using the MarketScan Database
Thesis Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Senior Director – Global HEOR, Neurocrine Biosciences

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Mindy Cheng, BS, MS, PhD
Dissertation: Oncology Orphan Drugs: An Evidence Review, Mixed Treatment Comparison, and Cost-effectiveness Analysis
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Senior Manager Global HEOR, Abbott Vascular, Inc.

Ryan N. Hansen, BA, PharmD, PhD
Dissertation: The Association Between Sedative Hypnotic Insomnia Treatments and Motor Vehicle Crashes
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington

Joshua A. Roth, BS, MHA, PhD
Dissertation: Comparative Effectiveness Approaches to Evaluate Pharmacogenomic Technology
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Director, Global Value & Evidence, Oncology/Hematology, Pfizer

Jonathan H. Watanabe, BS, PharmD, MS, PhD
Dissertation: Implications and Investigations of Pharmacy Benefit in the United States
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and Associate Dean of Assessment and Quality, UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences  

Heidi Wirtz, BS, MS, PharmD, PhD
Dissertation: Second Breast Cancer Events in Relation to Frequent Antibiotic Use: An Assessment of Risk and the Development of a Framework to Evaluate Detection Bias in
Breast Cancer Pharmacoepidemiology Studies
Chair: Denise Boudreau, PhD
Current Position:  Senior Clinical Development Scientist, Pfizer

Master of Science Graduates:

Cara McDermott, BS, PharmD, MS, PhD
Thesis: The Impact of Adherence and an Intervention Program on Patient Outcomes and Costs in Chronic Hepatitis C Infection
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Duke University

Joanna Sanderson, BA, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Migraine-Specific Health Resource Utilization in Chronic and Episodic Migraine Across Six Countries
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Independent Consultant, Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research

Veena Shankaran, MD, MS
Thesis: Adverse Events Associated with Bevacizumab and Chemotherapy in Older Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Chair: Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD
Current Position(s): Co-Director, Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR), Fred Hutch; Professor, School of Medicine, University of Washington

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Joseph Babigumira, MBChB, MS, PhD
Dissertation: Costs of Induced Abortion and Cost-Effectiveness of Universal Access to Modern Contraception in Uganda
Chair: Louis Garrison, PhD
Current Position: Independent Consultant, Freelance

Master of Science Graduates:

Vincent Lin, BS, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Health Care Utilization and Health Related Quality of Life for Patients After Laparoscopic Adjustable Banding Surgery
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Global Value and Access Lead-Obesity and Oncology, Shionogi Inc. (U.S.)

Justin Robertson, BS, MA, MS
Thesis: An Economic Analysis of Everolimus for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
Chair: Louis Garrison, Jr., PhD
Current Position: Senior Economist, Amazon, Seattle, WA

William Wong, BA, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Cost-Effectiveness Assessment and Value of Research Analysis of Oncotype DX Testing to Guide Adjuvant Chemotherapy Treatment Decisions in Hormone Receptor-(+), Node-(+) Early Stage Breast Cancer
Chair: David Veenstra, PhD
Current Position: Principal Health Economist, Health Policy and Systems Research at Genentech

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Catherine Waweru (Corbell), BSc, MSc, PhD
Dissertation: An Epidemiologic Study Examining the Risk of Anemia Associated with Zidovudine-Based Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Namibia
Chair: Andy Stergachis, PhD
Current Position: US HEOR Director, Insmed

Master of Science Graduates:

Lisa Bloudek, PharmD, MS
Thesis: CDR State Transition Probabilities in Alzheimer’s Disease with and without Cholinesterase Inhibitor Intervention in an Observational Cohort of AD Patients in the NACC-UDS Database
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Partner and CEO, Curta,  Seattle, WA

Patrick Gillard, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Mapping From Disease-Specific Measures to Health-State Utility Values in Migraineurs
Thesis Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position(s): Head of HEOR, BioCryst

Bernardo Goulart, MD, MS
Thesis: Newer Agents for Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Evidence from the NCI Patterns of Care Study
Chair: Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD
Current Position(s): Medical Officer, FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Katherine Gries, PharmD, MS, PhD
Thesis: Validity and Reliability of the Visual Function Questionnaire Utility Index in Individuals with Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Thesis Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Senior Director, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Patient Reported Outcomes

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Deborah Atherly, MPH, PhD
Dissertation: Preventing Congenital Syphilis in Mozambique: Assessment of the Health and Economic Impact of Syphilis Diagnostic Tests in Antenatal Screening Programs
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Global Head, Policy Access and Introduction at PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access

Jamie Cross, MS, PhD
Dissertation: Case Study and Policy Analysis of Novel Quantitative Methods for Drug Benefit-Risk Assessment in Regulatory Decision-Making
Chair: Louis Garrison, PhD
Current Position: Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs at Asher Biotherapeutics

D. Eldon Spackman, MA, PhD
Dissertation: Health Economics Research in Alzheimer’s Disease: Support for Dependence as a Health Outcome and the Development of a Model Evaluation the Cost-Effectiveness of Screening
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Canada

Master of Science Graduates:

Jonathan Watanabe, PharmD, MS, PhD
Thesis Title: Cost-Analysis of Interventions for Antimuscarinic Refractory Patients with Overactive Bladder
Thesis Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and Associate Dean of Assessment and Quality, UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences 

Jelena Zurovac, MS, PhD
Thesis: The Determinants of Measles Vaccination Coverage in Resource-Poor Countries
Chair: Louis Garrison, Jr, PhD
Current Position: Senior Health Researcher at Mathematica Policy Research

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Lisa Meckley, PhD
Dissertation: Clinical Utility, Cost Effectiveness, and Provider Perceptions of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 Genotyping for Chronic Warfarin Therapy
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Director, Global Outcomes Research at Takeda

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Jennie Best, MA, PhD
Dissertation: Preference Values for Health States Associated with Colon Cancer & Its Treatment
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Principal Health Economist, Genentech

Jonathan Campbell, MS, PhD
Dissertation: Health Economics Research in Asthma: The Assessment of Asthma Control and the Development of a Contemporary Asthma Policy Model
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Chief Science Officer, National Pharmaceutical Council

Matthew C. Kerrigan, MSc, PhD
Dissertation: Cost-Effectiveness of Adjuvant Treatment & Subsequent Surveillance of Non-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Chair: Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD
Current Position: Principal Scientist, PHMR Associates, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Sarika Ogale, MS, PhD
Dissertation: Outcomes Associated with Medications Used in the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chair: Sean Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Principal Health Economist, Genentech

Master of Science Graduates:

Ronald Caldwell, MS, PhD
Thesis Title: The Economics of Smoking Cessation: An Economic Simulation Model Comparing the Costs and Benefits Associated with Standard Cessation Methods
Current Position: Lecturer IV, Economics, University of Michigan

Doctor of Philosophy:

Thy Do, MPH, PhD
Dissertation: Outpatient Discontinuation of Post-Myocardial Infarction beta-blocker therapy and Its Effect on Recurrent Coronary Events
Chair: Jacqueline Gardner, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director Product Development, Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzlerand

Doctor of Philosophy:

Scott Strassels, PharmD, PhD
Dissertation: The association of demographic and clinical characteristics with pain in persons who received hospice care in the United States
Chair: Sean D. Sullivan, PhD
Current Position: Research Professor at Atrium Health

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Nina Hill (Oestreicher), MS, PhD
Dissertation: The Economic and Clinical Outcomes and Policy Implications of Gene Expression Profiling in Breast Cancer
Chair: David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Independent Consultant, HEOR

Master of Science:

Dana L. Hurley, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Polypharmacy Education Program Outcomes Assessment
Current Position: Biotechnology and Healthcare Consultant, HUTCH Global, LLC, Seattle, WA

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Brian S. Custer, MPH, PhD
Dissertation: Blood Safety and Resource Allocation: Economic analysis of donated blood safety initiatives
Current Position: SVP Research and Scientific Programs, Vitalant

Kristin Hall (Marciante), MPH, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Modeling the Long-Term, Population-based Outcomes of Diabetic Retinopathy
Current Position: Epidemiologist, Seattle Area

Master of Science:

Karen L. Smith, MS
Thesis: Accuracy of pharmacy claims database ‘days supply’ measure and its effect on continuous medication adherence measures in type 2 diabetics
Current Position:

Doctor of Philosophy:

Denise M. Boudreau, MS, PhD.
Dissertation: The Association between HMG-CoA Inhibitor Use and Breast Cancer: a Case-Control Study & A Comparison of Patient Interview Data and Pharmacy Records for Antihypertensive, Lipid Lowering, and Antidepressant Medication Use among Older Women
Current Position: Senior Principal Data Scientist, Genentech

Master of Science:

Christopher R. Flowers, MD, MS
Thesis: The Cost Savings Associated with TPMT Genotype-Individualized Maintenance Therapy for Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Current Position: Division Head, Division of Cancer Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center 

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk, PharmD, PhD
Dissertation: Meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analyses of chlorhexidine gluconate and povidine iodine use for the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infection
Current Position: Professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah

Mitchell Higashi, MBA, PhD
Dissertation: Assessing the clinical and economic impact of genetic polymorphisms
Current Position: Chief Science Officer, ISPOR

Todd Lee, PharmD, PhD
Dissertation: Comparison of the cost-effectiveness of Triamcinolone Acetonide (Azmacort HFA) and Fluticasone Propionate (Flovent) in adult asthmatics in a randomized controlled equivalence trial
Current Position: Professor and Head, Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago

Master of Science:

Holly Trautman, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Judicious use of antibiotics in Otitis Media: analysis of antibiotic utilization patterns and guideline compliance
Current Position: Senior Vice President, Prime

Master of Science:

Donna Sullivan, PharmD, MS
Thesis: Association between neuroleptic drug exposure and tardive dyskinesia
Current Position: Chief Pharmacy Officer, Washington Health Care Authority, Olympia, WA

Sunshine D. Sommers, RPh, MS
Thesis: The emergency contraception collaborative prescribing experience in Washington state: A program evaluation
Current Position: Clinical Pharmacy Director, Kaiser Permanente

Doctor of Philosophy Graduates:

David Smith, PhD, RPh, MHA
Dissertation: Medication compliance and cost and utilization outcomes associated with pharmacist’s cognitive service interventions
Current Position: Distinguished Investigator Emeritus, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research

1994

Mary Helen Tran, PharmD
Funded by: GlaxoSmithKline

1995
Libby Black, PharmD
Funded by: GlaxoSmithKline

Essy Mozaffari, PharmD
Funded by: Roche

1996
Carmelina Battista, PharmD
Funded by: GlaxoSmithKline

1997
Scott Strassels, PharmD, PhD
Funded by: GlaxoSmithKline

1998
Dell Mather, PharmD
Funded by: GlaxoSmithKline

Darren Augenstein, PharmD, MBA
Funded by: Roche

1999
Welyn Chua Bui, PharmD
Funded by: GlaxoSmithKline

David Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Funded by: Roche

2000
Doris Lew, PharmD
Funded by: Roche

2001
Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA
Funded by: Roche

2002
Joanna Huang, PharmD
Funded by: Roche

2003
Kavita Patel, PharmD, MBA
Funded by: Roche

2009
Jonathan Watanabe, PharmD, MS, PhD
Funded by: Allergan

2010
Katie Gries, PharmD, MS
Funded by: Allergan

Patrick Gillard, PharmD, MS
Funded by: Allergan

2011
Vincent Lin, PharmD, MS
Funded by: Allergan

2012
Joanna Sanderson, PharmD, MS
Funded by: Allergan

2013
Zsolt Hepp, PharmD, MS
Funded by: Allergan

Christopher Wallick, PharmD, MS
Funded by: Allergan

Rahber Thariani MS, PhD
Funded by: PhRMA Foundation

2014
Julia F. Slejko, PhD
Funded by: Pfizer

2015
Tracy Yep, PharmD
Funded by: Allergan

Katelyn Keyloun
Funded by: Allergan

Jean McDougall
Funded by: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Vanessa Shih
Funded by: Allergan

Justin Yu
Funded by: Bayer

Amy Tung
Funded by: Allergan

2016
Souvik Banerjee
Funded by: Pfizer

2017
Melissa Rosen
Funded by: Pfizer

Marita Zimmermann

2018
Lauren Chin
Funded by: Bayer

Sara Higa
Funded by: Allergan

Chiemeka Ike
Funded by: Allergan

2019

Kritee Gujral
Funded by NHLBI

Thomas Hopkins
Funded by: Bayer

Ashley Kim
Funded by: Allergan

Eddie Neuberger
Funded by: Genentech

Jamie Ta
Funded by: Allergan

Aig Unuigbe
Funded by: Pfizer

2020

Brennan Beal
Funded by: AbbVie

Ashley Cha
Funded by: Bayer

David Fox
Funded by Genentech

Samuel Hong
Funded by: Genentech

Jae Hyun Lee
Funded by: AbbVie

Phoebe Wright
Funded by: SeaGen

2021

Kimberly Cai
Funded by: AbbVie

Noah Hammarlund
Funded by: NHLBI

Kate Johnson
Funded by: NHLBI

Eunice Kim
Funded by: Genentech

Gilbert Ko
Funded by: Bayer

Tae Jin (TJ) Park
Funded by: AbbVie

Jenny Yeonhee Park
Funded by: Genentech

Jacob Silvers
Funded by: SeaGen