Applied Innovations with Patricia Carrillo

The work of the Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI) and its centers encompass a vast range of services, solutions, and partnerships. In our short interview series, Applied Innovations, we get to know some of the talented members of our team and their projects, across our many centers and various areas of impact.

In this edition, we meet Patricia Carrillo, Research Project Coordinator with AAI's Center for Public Partnerships & Research.

Can You Tell Us a Little About Yourself?

I am a recent Kansas City, MO transplant from Lawrence, and have been working at KU’s Center for Public Partnerships & Research (CPPR) since June 2019. Prior to this I was in a graduate anthropology program in Denver, Colorado where my research was focused on reproductive health disruptions. Reproductive healthcare and advocacy are a strong interest and passion of mine. Additionally, I consider myself a life-long learner and read philosophy, romance novels, and personal development with equal voracity. I also enjoy learning new-to-me skills like aerial silks, pottery, and removing bats from my old apartment. Keeping me company on this journey are my senior Shih Tzu, Winston and feisty Torti cat, Luna.

What Attracted You To Your Field?

I was particularly attracted to my current role at CPPR because the project I came onto was specifically centered on improving perinatal systems of care and maternal health outcomes. Having a background in Anthropology, I am very curious about how as a culture we give meaning to the process of pregnancy, and more specifically how systems of peripartum care shape this meaning and agency for individuals navigating the spaces.

What Populations Do You or Your Center Support?

All of our work at CPPR centers on optimizing the health and well-being of children, youth, and families. My work specifically focuses on the pregnant and postpartum population and the providers who serve them in multiple settings. Holistic care, including behavioral healthcare, of peripartum individuals is an essential element to thriving and healthy outcomes for kiddos and their families.

What Are Your or Your Center’s Key Projects?

Here at the Center, I primarily work on a federally funded grant called Kansas Connecting Communities or KCC. KCC aims to increase Kansas provider’s capacity for early identification, referrals, and treatment of perinatal mental health and substance use disorders through access to a psychiatric access line for provider consultations, best practice education and training opportunities, and direct technical assistance with providers and clinics throughout the state.

What Are Some Future Opportunities or Upcoming Initiatives That Excite You?

I’m excited about several happenings both Center wide and within my work on KCC. For KCC we are prepping for a number of training and outreach events, including some in-person technical assistance sessions with our community partners. After a few years of mostly virtual work, the chance to connect in-person with providers and communities we have been working with for years is really heartening. Additionally, we are in the final year of this grant funding cycle so the chance to reflect on the impact of this work and prepare for another possible funding cycle is very exciting!

What About Working at a Mission-Driven Organization Like AAI Appeals to You?

I really appreciate the shared purpose that being a part of a mission-driven organization like AAI provides. I work with amazing individuals and while our functional work and individual strengths and experiences are different, our center-wide values and mission keeps us aligned and moving towards a common goal.