Kathleen O'Connor Duffany, PhD, MEd, is an Associate Professor of Public Health in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health . She serves as Director of Research and Evaluation at the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE) and Co-Director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center . Her work focuses on dismantling structural barriers to health equity through community-engaged research and policy advocacy. PhD in Chronic Disease Epidemiology/Social and Behavioral Sciences (2015), Yale School of Public Health MEd in Elementary and Special Education (1995), Boston College BA in Psychology and English (1991), College of the Holy Cross Dr. Duffany leads community-based participatory evaluations across diverse public health domains including food insecurity, breastfeeding support, maternal-child health, and vaccine equity. She directs the Community Impact Lab , which connects students with local organizations for equitable practice partnerships, and provides technical assistance for health departments statewide. Her research emphasizes translating findings into policy solutions through coalition-building and structural interventions. Recent publications demonstrate expertise in produce prescription programs , nutrition interventions in food pantries , and equity-focused workforce development . She has published extensively on health disparities in Frontiers in Public Health , Maternal and Child Nutrition , and International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , with methodological strengths in qualitative evidence synthesis and community-clinical linkages . Current projects examine person-centered food assistance models and structural determinants of mental wellbeing . At Yale, she teaches Community Health Program Evaluation to MPH and PhD students and leads annual Evidence-Based Public Health trainings for Connecticut health professionals. Her leadership roles include mentoring Vaccine Equity Fellows and directing formative evaluations of statewide health initiatives.





