O’Brien Institute for Public Health welcomes Dr. Pamela Roach as associate scientific director - population health

Dr. Pamela Roach, PhD, is the new O’Brien Institute associate scientific director - population health. Dr. Roach brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advancing public health through research excellence.

Dr. Roach is an assistant professor in the departments of family medicine and community health sciences, also serving as the academic director of Indigenous engagement in the VPR Office at the University of Calgary. A proud citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Dr. Roach completed her PhD in medical and human sciences at the University of Manchester, England, before returning to Canada for a postdoctoral fellowship in family medicine at the University of Alberta.

With more than 20 years of experience in community-based research, both in Canada and the UK, Dr. Roach currently holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Health Systems Safety. Her research focuses on the intersection of health services, policy, and upstream determinants of health to improve the well-being of individuals and populations.

As she steps into her new role, Dr. Roach says she looks forward to the opportunity to expand the Institute's approach to public health. She is particularly passionate about fostering reciprocal relationships with communities to identify priorities that truly impact lived experiences and outcomes.

“This is an exciting time to contribute to the Institute in a leadership capacity with a new leadership team; and yet also a challenging time that pushes us to really think about how we work within a changing health system context to collaborate across disciplines and create needed social and health systems change,” she says.

On a personal level, she is excited about the opportunity to explore a parallel paths approach in health research, supporting different worldviews to enhance the health of diverse populations.

Dr. Roach recognizes the Institute's role in improving health equity and the conditions determining health. She emphasizes the richness of diversity within the Institute's membership, which offers a breadth of knowledge, expertise, and community relationships. Dr. Roach is eager to contribute to the newly launched O’Brien Institute Health Equity HUB, bringing together members to build capacity and integrate health equity into public health research in ways that intersect with policy and health.

“A priority must be on supporting Institute membership to do this in good ways with accountability to the communities we serve, and I look forward to contributing to the advancement of those strategic visions with all the members of the Institute,” she says.  

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Pamela Roach to her new role as associate scientific director - population health. We look forward to the impactful contributions she will undoubtedly make to our mission of advancing public health through research excellence.