Aneesa Motala
RAND Corporation
1776 Main Street Santa Monica CA 90401
310.393.0411 x7617
amotala@rand.org
Education
University of California, Santa Barbara
September 1997 –January 2002
B.A. S OCIOLOGY AND M INOR IN G LOBAL P EACE A ND S ECURITY
ƒ Active member and Volunteer to the Associated Students of the Community Affairs Board (Volunteering Program)
ƒ Resident Assistant for San Rafael Hall (Dormitory)
ƒ Invited speaker of the Education Abroad Program
ƒ Peer Counselor for the Eating Disorder Group
ƒ Active member of the Environmental Affairs Program
ƒ Education Aboard Program, Cairo, Egypt 1999-2000
Goal
To continue to grow and develop professionally thru new experiences and challenges
Experience
RAND Corporation - Santa Monica, CA
November 2008– Present
P ROJECT A SSISTANT AND C OORDINATOR TO THE S OUTHERN C ALIFORNIA E VIDENCE - BASED PRACTICE C ENTER
The center is made up of individuals who are part of a large research team aiming to produce evidence reports and technology
assessments.
Duties include:
ƒ Research and comply to formatting requirements of the journal or clients requirements. Interpret and work with complex guidelines
to create 508- compliant tables and figures. Read through final reports, journal articles, protocols, evidence tables to ensure
adherence to product requirements.
ƒ Work with RAND online tools such as the Online Project Tracker (OPT) and Oasis, and create budgets directly working with unit
administrators. Consulting with the PI on budgets and suggestions on making the budget more efficient. Producing reports on the
accounting and financial status on all of the EPC projects to the PI and EPC team. Liason between the PI, the contracts department,
unit administrators and at times the client in resolving discrepancies in budgets or with invoices. In charge of tracking all project
task numbers for RAND and VA projects. Responsible for letting folks know the project task numbers for the projects that they are
working on and responsible for overseeing that folks are charging correctly. Tracking the budget using own personal tools and
meeting with unit administrator(s) to cleaning up budget(s).
ƒ Coordinate, set-up, and participate in team project meetings as well as expert panel meetings and monthly conference calls with the
client. Responsibilities involved are writing and distributing minutes to the internal and external project team. Active involvement
in the decision-making process of the project.
ƒ Correspond and serve as the point of contact with clients and internal folks at RAND such as Contracts, Unit Administrators, IST
and various other RAND departments. At times, direct correspondence with clients regarding timelines and deliverables for the
project. Providing sample budgets and work flow to other RAND PI’s who are interested in doing systematic/literature reviews.
ƒ Aids in set-up, preparation, drafting and editing of multiple systematic reviews, manuscripts and academic journal articles.
ƒ Develops, maintains and monitors Access, DistillerSR, Excel, EndNote for each project: design, troubleshoot, operate and track
records
ƒ Retrieves and tracks abstracts and full text articles for reviewers. Full knowledge of the use Endnote and searching for titles and
articles on specific topics
ƒ Corresponding with governmental offices as well as Universities, internationally and locally
ƒ Creates web surveys, distributes, collects and analyzes surveys from research team and technical expert panel members
ƒ Provides daily logistical and budget assistance to Principle Investigators and project reviewers, researchers and staff
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Creates data abstraction forms and monitors data entry
Writing meeting minutes from daily project meetings
Assist in preparation and monitoring of budgets
Organizes, manages, coordinates, and monitors tasks and timelines to meet deadlines.
Assists staff in various activities such as coordinating information flow, preparing materials for distribution, completing and
processing expense reports, reimbursements and other forms, handling and processing sensitive and/or classified materials, creating
and maintaining databases/files/reports, and/or reviewing/proofreading and processing proposals, documents, reports, budgets, and
files
Prepares and submits letter agreements, subcontracts, check requests as well as expense reports for technical experts and peer
reviewers
Working with Task Order/Project Officers on timelines and deliverables
Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Academy, Mental Health Association of Greater Los Angeles – Long Beach, California
January – September 2008
P ERSONAL S ERVICE C OORDINATOR
Counseled, trained, and worked with clients from ages of 18-26 who had mental health and developmental issues.
Duties included:
ƒ Worked with a caseload of 15 “at-risk” youth for housing; job development; life skills coaching; coaching them on making
appointments and assisting them with the proper appointments in the community. Scheduling meetings and acting as an advocate
with the Social Security Office regarding their disability payments. Worked with women and their children in finding shelter if they
were homeless and/or abused.
ƒ Helped individual students in community integration activities and helping them with their coping skills in hard situations. Led
classes of 15 or more students that revolved around learning new coping skills to ease of their high anxiety. Worked on anger
management and problem solving with individual clients. Went to local and state jails as well as hospitals to talk to clients who
were imprisoned and worked on goals and CV’s in preparation of being released. Attending court dates and acted as an advocate
with their legal counsel on their mental health condition.
ƒ Filled out proper Department of Mental Health paperwork and charted notes for medical and billing purposes.
ƒ Helped resolve issues that were going on in the team to provide a safe place for all that worked at TAY
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Worked at the local winter shelters and recruited at-risk youth to TAY’s program
Napredak Foundation – Pazardjik, Bulgaria
January – December 2007
G RANTS S PECIALIST /T RANSLATOR
With the transition to the EU, helped write many grants for Napredak as well as translating many of their documents from
Bulgarian to English.
Duties Included:
ƒ Meetings with the community to chart the needs of the community as well as writing down the pros and cons of the services that
exist in the ROMA community
ƒ Meetings with the Mayor as well as the ROMA youth leaders to draft a budget pending the needs on the community
ƒ Served as a representative in many council meetings as well as attending the EU Grant Conference in Cyprus
United States Peace Corps – Pazardjik, Bulgaria
August 2003 – December 2006
V OLUNTEER IN Y OUTH D EVELOPMENT
Volunteered in Pazardjik, Bulgaria with Napredak Foundation.
Duties included:
ƒ Created a youth group called “Ethnos” that focused on tolerance and diversity among Roma, Turkish and Bulgarian youth.
ƒ Afterschool English program to teach students from 1st- 8th grade English that involved music and art
ƒ Wrote, assisted and implemented grants for after school tutoring for kids from 1st-8th grade through Balkan Children and Youth
Foundation, Democracy Commission, US AID and UNDP. Met with the community to talk about specific grants and what the
needs were in the community to be able to write a grant that fulfilled the needs of the community
ƒ Co- Director of the national “Zaedno Napred” Roma Camps for three years where we fundraised and wrote a grant through Peace
Corps Partnership Program, and Special Projects Assistance through Peace Corps. Roma high school students from all over
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Bulgaria were able to come and learn about topics such as culture, self identity, motivation to continue for a higher education,
scholarship information, early marriage, HIV/AIDS awareness and leadership training
Co- Director of the national “Zaedno Napred” Multi-Ethnic Camp that was financed through Peace Corps Partnership Program
and where I was to write and organize the project as well as be the accountant and in charge of the activities. High school students
from Bulgarian, Muslim, Turkish, Armenian and Jewish communities came to learn about different ethnicities and to break
stereotypes that they might have had against any racial group
Trainer for Peace Corps Pre-Seminar Training for 20 new Youth Development volunteers. I was responsible to organize and lead
seminars to prepare them for their 2 year service
Worked with children and women that were street workers and provided safer sex skills and brought in self-defense teachers
Published Work
ƒ Shekelle PG, Newberry S, Maglione M, Shanman R, Johnsen B, Carter J, Motala A, Hulley B, Wang Z, Bravata D, Chen
M, Grossman M. Evaluation of the need to update comparative effectiveness reviews. Rockville, MD: Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality: October 2009. Available at:
www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/125/331/2009_0923UpdatingReports.pdf
ƒ Shekelle PG, Takata G, Newberry SJ, Coker, T, Limbos M, Chan LS, Timmer M, Suttorp M, Carter J, Motala A,
Valentine D, Johnsen B, Shanman R. Management of Acute Otitis Media: Update. Evidence Report/ Technology
Assessment No. 198. (Prepared by the Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290 2007
10056 I). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. November 2010. Available at:
http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/otitis/otitisup.pdf
ƒ Hempel S, Newberry S, Ruelaz A, Wang Z, Miles J, Suttorp M, Johnsen B, Shanman R, Slusser W, Fu N, Smith A, Roth
E, Polak J, Motala A, Perry T, & Shekelle PG. Safety of Probiotics to Reduce Risk and Prevent or Treat Disease. Evidence
Report/Technology Assessment No. 200. (Prepared by the Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center under
Contract No. 290-2007-10062-I) AHRQ Publication No. 11-E007-1. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality. April 2011. Available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/probiotictp.htm
ƒ Shekelle PG, Newberry SJ, Timmer M, Suttorp M, Roth B, Motala A, Gellad W, Crandall CC, Diamant A, Shanman R.
Comparative Effectiveness of Treatment to Prevent Fractures in Men and Women with Low Bone Density or
Osteoporosis- Update. Evidence Report/ Technology Assessment No. XXX. (Prepared by the Sothern California Evidencebased Practice Center under Contract No. HHSA290200710062I). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality. Final report submitted
ƒ Shekelle PG, Newberry, SJ, Wu, H, Suttorp M, Motala, A., Lim Y-W, Balk EM, Chung, M, Yu, WW, Lee, J, Gaylor, JM,
Moher, D, Ansari, MT, Skidmore, R. Garritty, C. Identifying Signals for Updating Systematic Reviews: A Comparison of
Two Methods. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. June 2011. Methods Research Report.
AHRQ Publication No. 11-EHC042-EF.
ƒ Maglione M, Ruelaz Maher A, Hu, J, Wang Z, Shanman R, Shekelle PG, Roth B, Hilton L, Suttorp MJ, Ewing BA, Motala
A, Perry T. Off-Label Use of Atypical Antipsychotics – Update. Evidence Report/ Technology Assessment No. 43.
(Prepared by the Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. HHSA290200710062I).
Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. September 2011.
ƒ Dalal, S.R., Shekelle, P.G., Hempel, S., Newberry, S.J., Motala, A., Shetty, K.D. Using Machine Learning to Facilitate
Systematic Review Updating. Methods Research Report (Prepared by the Southern California Evidence-based Practice
Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10062-I). AHRQ Publication No. 11-EHC045-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality. Final Report Submitted 2-13-2012
ƒ Timbie, JW, Ringel, JS, Fox, DS, Waxman, DA, Pillemer, F, Carey, C, Moore, M, Karir, V, Johnson, TJ, Iyer, N, Hu, J,
Shanman, R, Larkin, JW, Timmer, M, Motala, A, Perry, TR, Newberry, S, Kellermann, AL. Comparative Effectiveness
Review on the Allocation of Scarce Resources during Mass Casualty Events (MCEs). (Prepared by the Southern California
Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10062-I). AHRQ Publication No. 11-EHC045-EF.
Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Final Report Submitted 2-28-2012
ƒ Chung, M., Newberry, SJ, Ansari, MT, Yu, WW, Wu, H, Lee, J, Suttorp, M, Gaylor, J, Motala, A, Moher, D, Balk, EM,
Shekelle, PG. Two Proposed Methods Provide Similar Signals for the Need to Update Systematic Reviews. Resubmitted to
the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.
ƒ Timbie JW, Ringel JS, Fox DS, Waxman DA, Pillemer F, Carey C, Moore M, Karir V, Johnson TJ, Iyer N, Hu J, Shanman
R, Larkin JW, Timmer M, Motala A, Perry TR, Newberry S, Kellermann AL. Comparative Effectiveness Review on the
Allocation of Scarce Resources during Mass Casualty Events (MCEs). (Prepared by the Southern California Evidencebased Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10062-I). AHRQ Publication No. 11-EHC045-EF. Rockville, MD:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Final Report Submitted 2-28-2012.
http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/400/1151/EvidenceReport207_AllocationofScarceResources_FinalReport
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_20120626.pdf
Chung M, Newberry SJ, Ansari MT, et al. Two methods provide similar signals for the need to update systematic reviews.
J Clin Epidemiol. Jun 2012;65(6):660-668.
Dalal, S.R., Shekelle, P.G., Hempel, S., Newberry, S.J., Motala, A., Shetty, K.D. Using Machine Learning to Facilitate
Systematic Review Updating. Methods Research Report (Prepared by the Southern California Evidence-based Practice
Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10062-I). AHRQ Publication No. 11-EHC045-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality. September 2012.
http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/396/1236/MachineLearning_FinalReport_20120823.pdf
Dalal SR, Shekelle PG, Hempel S, Newberry SJ, Motala A, Shetty KD. A Pilot Study Using Machine Learning and
Domain Knowledge to Facilitate Comparative Effectiveness Review Updating. Med Decis Making. Sep 7 2012.
Newberry, SJ, Hempel, S, Chafen, JJ, Maglione, M, Motala, A, Shanman, R, Shekelle, PG. Surveillance Assessment on
CER 51: Dietary Supplements in Adults Taking Cardiovascular Drugs (CER 51). (Prepared by Southern California
Evidence Based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10062I.) Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality. April 2013. http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/223/748/dietary-supplements-surveillance-April2013-130509.pdf
Shekelle PG, Wachter RM, Pronovost P, Schoelles K, McDonald KM, Dy SM, et al. Making Health Care Safer II: An
Updated Critical Analysis of the Evidence for Patient Safety Practices. (Prepared by the Southern California-RAND
Evidence-based Practice Center under contract no. HHSA290200710062I.) Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality; March 5, 2013. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/evidence-based-reports/ptsafetyII-full.pdf
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Acknowledgements
ƒ Foy, R., S., Hempel, L. Rubenstein, M. Suttorp, M. Seelig, R. Shanman, P.G Shekelle (2010). “Meta-analysis: Effect of
Interactive Communication between Collaborating Primary Care Physicians and Specialists.” Annals of Internal Medicine
152(4): 247-258.
ƒ Schneider-Chafen, J., S, Newbery, M. Riedl, D. Bravata, M. Maglione, M. Suttorp, V. Sundaram, N. Paige, A. Towfigh, B.
Hulley, P.G Shekelle (2010). “Diagnosing and Managing Common Food Allergies: A Systematic Review. JAMA
303(18):1848-56
ƒ Coker, T., L. Chan, S.J Newberry, M. Limbos, M. Suttorp, P.G. Shekelle, G.S. Takata (2010). “Diagnosis, Microbial
Epidemiology, and Antibiotic Treatment of Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Systematic Review “ JAMA 304(19):21619
ƒ Shekelle PG, Pronovost PJ, Wachter RM, Taylor SL, Dy S, Foy R, Hempel S, McDonald, K, Ovretveit J, Rubenstein L,
and the PSP Technical Expert Panel. Assessing the Evidence for Context-Sensitive Effectiveness and Safety of Patient
Safety Practices: Developing Criteria (Prepared under Contract No. HHSA-290-2009-10001C). AHRQ Publication No.
11-0006-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; December 2010.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/contextsensitive/context.pdf
ƒ Hempel S, Ganz D, Clifford M, Newberry S, Lim YW, Larkin J, Shaman R, Wertheimer S, Wenger N, Roth C, Shekelle
PG. Review of the Current Literature on Outcome Measures Applicable to the Medicare Population for Use in a Quality
Improvement Program. WR-806-CMS. Prepared for CMS, Contract No. HHSM-500-2005-000281. January 2011
ƒ Maher AR, Maglione M, Bagley S, et al. Efficacy and comparative effectiveness of atypical antipsychotic medications for
off-label uses in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. Sep 28 2011;306(12):1359-1369.
ƒ O'Neill SM, Hempel S, Lim YW, et al. Identifying continuous quality improvement publications: what makes an
improvement intervention 'CQI'? BMJ Qual Saf. Jul 4 2011.
ƒ Hempel S, Rubenstein LV, Shanman RM, et al. Identifying quality improvement intervention publications - A comparison
of electronic search strategies. Implement Sci. 2011;6:85.
ƒ Khodyakov D, Hempel S, Rubenstein L, Shekelle P, Foy R, Salem-Schatz S, O'Neill S, Danz M, Dalal S. Conducting
Online Expert Panels: A Feasibility and Experimental Replicability Study. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2011 Dec
23;11(1):174.
ƒ Shekelle PG, Pronovost PJ, Wachter RM, McDonald KM, Schoelles K, Dy SM, Shojania K, Reston JT, Adams AS,
Angood PB, Bates DW, Bickman L, Carayon P, Donaldson L, Duan N, Farley DO, Greenhalgh T, Haughom JL, Lake E,
Lilford R, Lohr KN, Meyer GS, Miller MR, Neuhauser DV, Ryan G, Saint S, Shortell SM, Stevens DP, Walshe K. The top
patient safety strategies that can be encouraged for adoption now. Ann Intern Med. Mar 5 2013;158(5 Pt 2):365-368.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23460091
ƒ Miake-Lye IM, Hempel S, Ganz DA, Shekelle PG. Inpatient fall prevention programs as a patient safety strategy: a
systematic review. Ann Intern Med. Mar 5 2013;158(5 Pt 2):390-396. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23460095
ƒ Shekelle PG. Nurse-patient ratios as a patient safety strategy: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. Mar 5 2013;158(5 Pt
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2):404-409. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23460097
Hempel S, Newberry S, Wang Z, Booth M, Shanman R, Johnsen B, Shier V, Saliba D, Spector WD, Ganz DA. Hospital
fall prevention: a systematic review of implementation, components, adherence, and effectiveness. J Am Geriatr Soc. Apr
2013;61(4):483-494. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23527904
Skills, Continuing Education and Certificates
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Intermediate to Advanced Coursework in Access, Doodle, EndNote, Excel, Oasis, Outlook, PowerPoint, RHINO (RAND
HSPC Information Online), SurveyMonkey, DistillerSR, Webmeeting, Windows, and Office 2003 and 2007
Counseling at-risk youth and depression among young adults
CAMP GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) as a lecturer and counselor for informing Bulgarian girls about the dangers of
eating disorders and providing them with life scoping skills when faced with such issues
Provided individual counseling hours with different teens that were having family and societal problems.
Worked as a Peer Counselor for university students that were having emotional and psychological problems
Mental Health Services Training in Prevention & Management of Disruptive Behavior Training
Mental Health Services Training in Transitional Age Youth
Mental Health Services Training in Safety and Security
Recognition of serving as a Technical Trainer for the Peace Corps Youth Development Program 2006
Presented with the RAND IMPACT Award 2010 for work done on the Food Allergy report
CBEST qualified
Attended the AHRQ 2010 Fall and 2012 December Project Managers Meeting in Rockville, Maryland
Linux programming
HTML programming
Experience working with the Contracts Department at RAND as well as with other Unit Administrators
Languages
Bulgarian
Advanced Low
3 months intensive learning course and 4 years living in Bulgaria
Arabic
Novice Low
Studied one year in Egypt and 4 years with a private tutor