Yusra Ribhi Shawar, MPH
511 Rampart Way, National Harbor, MD 20745 • 206-399-5684 (c) • yusra.shawar@american.edu
Education
PhD Candidate, Public Administration & Public Policy
Degree expected January 2016
American University • Washington, DC
Research Areas: Health Policy and Politics, Global Governance, Epistemic Communities
Masters, Public Health
University of Virginia • Charlottesville, VA • Graduated May 2009 • Cumulative GPA: 3.97
Specialty Areas: Program Evaluation, Qualitative Analysis, Survey Design & Analysis
B.A., Double Major in Neuroscience and International Relations
University of Virginia • Charlottesville, VA • August 2004- May 2008
Intensive Arabic Language Program
Lebanese American University • Beirut, Lebanon • Summer 2005
Research Funding
Co-Principal Investigator, USAID • Washington, DC
June 2015 – Present
Lead research that examines place of learning on the global education agenda.
Independent Contractor, UNICEF • New York, NY
October 2014 – Present
Head research study that examines the global political prioritization of early childhood development. This work is
part of a forthcoming Lancet series on early childhood development.
Lead Consultant, Save the Children-US • District of Columbia
May 2013 – March 2014
Direct a qualitative research study examining issues related to how to generate global political priority for the health
and nutrition of the urban poor and slum dwellers on the global health agenda. This work influenced Save the
Children’s flagship annual report “State of the World’s Mothers: The Urban Disadvantage.”
Principal Investigator, Mental Health Concerns of Youth Palestinian Refugees, United Nations Relief and Works
Agency (UNRWA) • Zarqa, Jordan
June 2007 – August 2007
Conduct key-informant interviews with refugees and UNRWA personnel and designed a health-theory based mental
health program intervention based on study findings.
Teaching Experience
Global Governance and Public Policy, Teaching Assistant • American University
Spring 2015
Assist in designing course syllabus, leading parts of course discussions, holding regular office hours with masters
students, and grading course papers and final exams.
Disaster Preparedness in the West Indies • University of Virginia, Study abroad course in St. Kitts and Nevis
Winter 2009
Oversee undergraduate student group activities in St. Kitts and Nevis around the assessment of planning, prevention,
mitigation, response and recovery relating to all types of hazards and coordinate the writing of a group report on St.
Kitts-Nevis health care and disaster preparedness, which was ultimately published in the Journal of Race and Policy.
Organic Chemistry Lab, Teaching Assistant • University of Virginia
Fall 2007, Spring 2008
Lead weekly lectures for section of 20 students, supervise their time during lab, hold weekly office hours, and grade
weekly lab reports.
Other Professional Experience
Graduate Assistant, American University • District of Columbia
August 2011 – May 2015
Assist in the design, implementation, and analysis of research projects in the areas of: health service user fee policy,
HIV/AIDS, and sexuality education.
Co-Founder, MyHealthMentor, Inc. • Maryland
January 2013 – May 2015
Manage a 501c3 organization that connects individuals experiencing the same health challenge on a free, confidential
online forum.
Health Policy Analyst, Altarum Institute • Alexandria, VA
May 2009 – May 2013
Direct health research and evaluation projects for funders such as the Office of Minority Health (NPA
Implementation), NACCHO (Achieve Project), NHLBI (Community Health Worker Health Disparities Initiative),
USDA (WIC program evaluations), and UNC (the evaluation of the Every Woman Southeast Coalition).
Graduate Coordinator for Assessment and Planning, University of Virginia • Charlottesville, VA
August 2008 – May 2009
Orchestrate, compile and analyze university-wide surveys and assist University administration in utilizing assessment
data to impact strategic planning and programing.
Peer-reviewed publications
Shawar, Y. R., Shiffman, J., & Spiegel, D. A. (2015). Generation of political priority for global surgery: a qualitative
policy analysis. The Lancet Global Health, 3(8), e487-e495.
Malone, E. W., Shawar, Y. R., Shiffman, J. (2015). Insights from public administration scholarship for addressing
global health governance challenges. In Public Administration in the Context of Global Governance (Eds.
Kim, S., Ashley, S., & Lambright, H.). UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Shawar, Y.R. (2014). Ingredients for Good Health Policy-Making: Incorporating Power and Politics into the Mix.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 2: 203-204, DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2014.45.
Working Papers
Shawar, Y.R., Spinner, J.R., Anthony, J., Ortiz, G., Farias, S. Community Health Worker Capacity Building:
Strategies and Challenges.
Shawar, Y.R. Egypt’s NCCM Initiative to End Female Genital Mutilation: A Policy Assessment of an Anti-FGM
Media Campaign’s Impact on Behavior Intent, Attitude and Belief.
Shawar, Y.R., Crane, L. Global Priority for Urban Health and Nutrition: Application of a Policy Framework.
Shawar, Y.R., Shiffman, J. Generating Global Political Priority for Early Childhood Development.
Robinson, R.S., Kunnuji, M., Shawar, Y.R., Shifman, J. From the Global North to the Global South: Comparing
Sexuality Education in Mississippi and Nigeria.
Professional Presentations
Generating Political Priority for Global Surgery
• 2015 International Studies Association • New Orleans, LA
• 2014 Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) Conference • Washington, DC
• 2014 John Hopkins University’s Film Screening and Discussion: The Right to Heal • Washington, DC
• 2013 Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) Conference • Washington, DC
Egypt’s NCCM Initiative to End Female Genital Mutilation: A Policy Assessment of an Anti-FGM Media
Campaign’s Impact on Behavior Intent, Attitude and Belief
• 2015 International Studies Association • New Orleans, LA
• 2013 American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference • Boston, MA
• 2013 Public Administration Department Seminar, American University • Washington, DC
• 2012 Southeastern Conference for Public Administration • Coral Springs, FL
Priority for Urban Health and Nutrition: Application of a Policy Framework
• 2014 Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) Conference • Washington, DC
• 2014 International Conference on Urban Health • Manchester, UK
• 2014 Save the Children, USA • Washington, DC
Innovative approaches to implementing a community health worker-led curriculum: An evaluation of the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Community Health Worker Health Disparities Initiative
• 2013 American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference • Boston, MA
Multi-sector community coalition development: Lessons learned from the Veterans Community Action Teams
Project
• 2011 American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference • Washington, DC
Community Leaders’ Assessment on the Mental Health Concerns of Palestinian Refugee Youth in Jordan
• 2008 University of Virginia’s Center for Global Health Symposium • Charlottesville, VA
Peer Reviewer for Journals
Health Policy and Management
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Health, Education, and Behavior
Honors and Awards
American University Student Research Award (2013)
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters Summer Scholar (2009)
University of Virginia’s Center for Global Health Scholar Research Grant Award (2007)
Languages
English – Native •
Arabic – Fluent
• French – Beginner