Our Mission
The Ohio Policy Evaluation Network (OPEN) conducts and translates rigorous and forward-thinking social-science research about policies and structural inequities related to abortion and contraception, focused on Ohio and neighboring states.
Our Vision
We at OPEN envision a world where policies, health care, and culture are informed by trustworthy research and where all people can pursue reproductive lives of freedom, dignity, and autonomy.
We Study:
- How medical providers and facilities navigate reproductive health policies and regulations
- Changes in how people access and experience abortion care
- How systemic inequities driven by racism, classism, and homophobia create disparities in abortion care
- Ohioan’s reproductive health knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors
Our Researchers & Program Staff
Danielle Bessett, Co-Principal Investigator of OPEN
she/her/hers or they/them/theirs
Professor
Department of Sociology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Affiliate
University of Cincinnati
Alison Norris, Co-Principal Investigator of OPEN
she/her/hers
Professor
Division of Epidemiology and Division of Infectious Diseases
The Ohio State University
Marta Bornstein
she/her/hers
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
Sarah CM Crow
she/her/hers
Communications and Public Relations Specialist
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Maria Gallo
she/her/hers
Professor
Division of Epidemiology
The Ohio State University
Priya Gursahaney
she/her/hers
Associate Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Cincinnati
Hillary Gyuras
she/her/hers
Senior Research Associate
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Amanda Harvey-Panfil
she/her/hers
Research Coordinator
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Jessie Hill
she/her/hers
Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and Judge Ben C. Green Professor of Law
School of Law
Case Western Reserve University
Courtney Kerestes
she/her/hers
Assistant Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
The Ohio State University
Autumn Kirkendall
she/her/hers
Senior Research Associate
University of Cincinnati
Michelle McGowan
she/her/hers
Professor of Biomedical Ethics
Mayo Clinic
Stef Murawsky
they/them/theirs
Policy and Program Director
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Abby Norris Turner
she/her/hers
Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Epidemiology
The Ohio State University
Tamika Odum
she/her/hers
Associate Professor
Department of Behavioral Science
University of Cincinnati
Meredith Pensak
she/her/hers
Assistant Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Cincinnati
Katherine Rivlin
she/her/hers
Associate Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Chicago
Mikaela Smith
she/her/hers
Research Scientist
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Celia Williamson
she/her/hers
Faculty Fellow
Ohio Policy Evaluation Network
Trainees
Kayla Alvis
she/her/hers
PhD Student
Rural Sociology
The Ohio State University
Cynthia Beavin
they/them
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Christina Bijou
she/her/hers
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
The Ohio State University
Aalap Bommaraju
they/them/theirs
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Sarah Bostic
they/them/theirs or she/her/hers
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Jeremy Brenner-Levoy
they/them/theirs
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Molly Broscoe
she/her/hers
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Shibani Chettri
she/her/hers
PhD Student
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Anna Church
she/her/hers
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
The Ohio State University
Mahboobeh Davoodifar
she/her/hers
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Willa Del Negro Skeehan
she/her/hers
Graduate Student
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Maralyn Doering
she/her/hers
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Victoria El-Hayek
she/her/hers
MD Student
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
Jacob Kepes
he/him/his
MA/PhD Student
Department of Sociology
The Ohio State University
Brittany Liebhard
she/her/hers
PhD Student
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Rachel Mason
they/them/theirs
PhD Student
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Katy McFarland
she/her/hers
MD/MPH Student
University of Cincinnati
Zoe Muzyczka
they/them/theirs
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Neela Nallamothu
she/her/hers
MPH Student
Milken Institute, School of Public Health
George Washington University
Rosa Negash
she/her/hers
Graduate Student
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Emily Neiman
she/her/hers
PhD Student and Clinical Instructor of Practice
College of Nursing
The Ohio State University
Pragi Patel
she/her/hers
Medical Student
Division of Epidemiology
The Ohio State University
Hannah Piscalko
she/her/hers
PhD Student
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Brianna Smith
she/her/hers
PhD Student
College of Social Work
The Ohio State University
Shreekari Tadepalli
she/her/hers
MD Student
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
Taylor Tomu
she/her/hers
PhD Student
Department of Anthropology
The Ohio State University
Kierra Toney
she/her/hers
PhD Student
Department of Sociology
University of Cincinnati
Abigail Underwood
she/her/hers
PhD Student
College of Social Work
The Ohio State University
Evangeline Warren
she/her/hers
PhD Student
College of Social Work
The Ohio State University
Emma Wolf
she/her/hers
Undergraduate Student
The Ohio State University
Affiliated Scholars
- Kayla Alvis, East Tennessee State University
- Francis Anagbonu, The Ohio State University
- John Casterline, The Ohio State University
- Payal Chakraborty, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute
- Danielle Czarnecki, Case Western Reserve University
- Cynthia Colen, The Ohio State University
- Meredith P. Field, Alfred University
- Claire Forrestal, The Ohio State University
- Bucky Foster, The Ohio State University
- Sarah Hayford, The Ohio State University
- Orlaith (Orla) Heyann, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
- Rudy Hightower II, The Ohio State University
- Robert Hood, Emory University
- Dana Howard, The Ohio State University
- Ayaz Hyder, The Ohio State University
- Elaina Johns-Wolfe, University of Missouri – St. Louis
- Lisa Keder, The Ohio State University
- Alex Kissling, Cerner Enviza
- Emily Kim, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
- Chasity Knight, The Ohio State University
- Kaiting Lang, NJ Department of Health
- Juliana Madzia, University of Cincinnati
- Annie McGhee, University of Cincinnati
- Kelsey Mello, Valley Children’s Healthcare
- Saira Nawaz, PATH
- Carolette Norwood, Howard University
- JaNelle Ricks, The Ohio State University
- Sara Zandvakili, University of Cincinnati