CURRICULUM VITAE
Jessica C. Shearer, PhD
Email: jshearer@path.org; jess.shearer@gmail.com
Web: www.jessica-shearer.com
Updated April 3, 2015
A. QUALIFICATIONS
McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
PhD, Health Policy, 2009-2014
Thesis: “Social networks, research evidence and innovation in health policymaking in Burkina Faso”
(Nominated for Governor General’s Academic Medal and Distinguished Dissertation Award)
Committee: Profs John Lavis (Supervisor), Julia Abelson, Michelle Dion, Gill Walt (LSHTM), Dr.
Meredith Rolfe (External, LSE)
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
M.H.S., International Health (Health Systems), 2005-2007
Supervisors: Profs Mathuram Santosham and Gary Darmstadt
McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
B.A.Sc., 2001-2005
Thesis: “Uptake of determinants of health research by policy makers in First Nations and Inuit Health
Branch”
Supervisor: Prof Alina Gildiner
B. LANGUAGES
English: Native (speaking, reading, writing)
French: Full professional proficiency (speaking, reading, writing)
C. PRESENT AND PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
Employment
November
2014-Present
Senior Technical Officer, Monitoring & Evaluation, PATH, Seattle, WA, USA
(Lead: Partnership study component of Gavi Full-Country Evaluation; D-CODE
initiative to strengthen project analytics in order to inform data-driven decisionmaking and estimate health impact)
2011-2014
Associate (Faculty), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore,
USA (Project: Policy Analysis of Integrated Community Case Management)
2009-2010
Research Coordinator, McMaster Health Forum, McMaster University, Hamilton,
Canada
2007-2009
Research Associate (Faculty), Hib Initiative, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, Baltimore, USA
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2006-2007
Research Assistant, Essential Newborn Care Project, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health, Lucknow, India
2006
Research Assistant, Center for American Indian Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
Teaching Experience
July 2014
Workshop on Stakeholder Network Analysis and Interviewing Policy Elites, GAVI
Full-Country Evaluation Multi-Partner Meeting, Kampala, Uganda.
2010-12
Supervisor, Undergraduate Honours Thesis, Bachelor of Health Sciences Program,
McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
2011-2012
Instructor, Bachelor of Health Sciences Program, McMaster University, Hamilton,
Canada
2010
Teaching Assistant, Bachelor of Health Sciences Program, McMaster University,
Hamilton, Canada
Consultancies
2014
Consultant, NICE International, London, UK
2014
Consultant, PATH, Seattle, USA
2010-2011
Consultant, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
2010
Consultant, Results for Development, Washington, D.C.
2009
Consultant, PRACHAR Project, The Packard Foundation & Pathfinder International,
Bihar, India
2008
Consultant, Comprehensive Condom Programme, Population Council, Dakar,
Senegal
2007-2008
Consultant, Global Economic Impact of Unsafe Abortion Working Group
D. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Scientific and Technical Committees
 Invited participant, Meeting on the political economy of priority-setting, Center for Global
Development (2014)
 Scientific Committee, Global Symposium on Health Systems Research (2012, 2014)
 Working Group, New and Underutilized Vaccine Introduction and Health Systems, World
Health Organization (2010-2012)
 Technical member, Evidence-Informed Policy Network (EVIPNet), World Health Organization
(2010-2014)
Professional Membership
 Member, Health Systems Global (2012-Present)
Member, American Political Science Association (2011-Present)
Professional Service
 Rapporteur, “Cape Town Statement” on People-Centered Health Systems, Global Symposium on
Health Systems Research (2014)
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Panel organizer for social network analysis, Global Symposium on Health Systems Research
(2012, 2014)
Administrator, “Social Network Analysis and Health” Yammer Group (2012-Present)
Invited contributor to “Impatient Optimists” blog, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2012)
Reviewer for numerous health policy and public health journals (Health Policy and Planning,
Social Science and Medicine, BMC Health Services Research) (2007-Present)
E. PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Peer-reviewed publications
1. Shearer JC, Dion M, Lavis JN. Exchanging and using research evidence in health policy networks:
a statistical network analysis. Implementation Science, 2014 (10).
2. Bennett S, George A, Rodriguez D, Shearer JC and the iCCM policy team. Policy challenges facing
integrated community case management in Sub-Saharan Africa. Tropical Medicine and International
Health, 2014.
3. Wang SA, Hyde TB, Mournier-Jack S, Brenzel L, Favin M, Gordon WS, Shearer JC, Mantel C,
Arora N, Durrheim D. New vaccine introductions: Assessing the impact and the opportunities for
immunization and health system strengthening. Vaccine, 2013; 31.
4. Shearer JC, Walker DG, Risko N, Levine OS. The impact of new vaccine introduction on the
coverage of existing vaccines: a cross-national, multivariable analysis. Vaccine 2012; 30(52): 75827587.
5. Hyde TB, Dentz H, Wang SA, Burchett HE, Mournier-Jack S, Mantel CF, The New Vaccine
Introduction Impact Published Literature Working Group. The impact of new vaccine introduction
on immunization and health systems: A review of the published literature. Vaccine 2012; (30):
6347-6358.
6. Gupta M, Kumar R, Deb AK, Bhattacharya SK, Bose A, John J, Balraj V, Ganguly NK, Kant L,
Kapoor AN, Watt J, Shearer J, Santosham M. Multicenter study on incidence of severe pneumonia
and meningitis due to Hib among children less than two years in India. Indian Journal of Medical
Research 2010; May (131): 649-58.
7. Shearer JC, Stack ML, Richmond MR, Bear AP, Hajjeh RA, Bishai DB. Accelerating national
decisions to adopt Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine: a global, multivariable analysis. PLoS
Medicine. 2010 Mar 16;7(3).
8. Shearer JC, Walker DG, Vlassoff M. Costs of post-abortion care in low- and middle-income
countries: a critical review. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2010; 108(2): 165-9.
9. Vlassoff M, Walker D, Shearer J, Newlands D, Singh S. Estimates of health care system costs of
unsafe abortion in Africa and Latin America. Int Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2009:35(3): 114-21.
10. Kumar V, Shearer JC, Kumar A, Darmstadt GL. Neonatal hypothermia in low resource settings: a
review. Journal of Perinatology 2009; 29(6): 410-12.
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11. Darmstadt GL, Kumar V, Yadav R, Shearer JC, Awasthi S, Singh J, Mehotra H, Srivastava K,
Gupta A, Sharma A, Baqui A, Santosham M and the Saksham Study Group. Community perceptions
of birth weight in rural Uttar Pradesh, India. Journal of Perinatology 2008; 28, S53-S60.
12. Darmstadt GL, Kumar V, Shearer JC, Misra R, Mohanty S, Baqui AH, Coffey PS, Awasthi S,
Singh JV, Santosham M;. Validation of accuracy and community acceptance of the BIRTHweigh III
scale for categorizing birth weigh in rural India. Journal of Perinatology 2007; 27(10): 602-8.
Submitted Publications and Manuscripts
1. Shearer JC, Abelson J, Kouyate B, Lavis J, Walt G. Why do policies change? Institutions, interests,
ideas and networks in a low-income country. Submitted to Milbank Quarterly.
2. Shearer JC. Policy entrepreneurs and structural influence in integrated community case
management policy in Burkina Faso. Health Policy and Planning (Revise and resubmit).
3. Dalglish S, George A, Shearer JC, Bennett S. Epistemic communities in global health and the
development of child survival policy: a case study of iCCM. Health Policy and Planning. (Revise and
resubmit).
4. Rodriguez D, Shearer JC, Mariano A, Bennett S. Evidence-Informed Policy-Making in Practice:
Country-level Examples of Use of Evidence for iCCM Policy. (Revise and resubmit).
5. Shearer JC. Evidence-informed policy-making and policy innovation in Burkina Faso: does policy
network structure matter? Paper 2 of PhD thesis.
Reports and Grey Literature
1. Shearer JC. Rapport sur l’élaboration de la politique de PCIME-C au Burkina Faso: présentée au
projet de l’analyse des politiques de l’iCCM. Baltimore, USA: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, 2013.
2. Bennett S, George A, Rodriguez D, Shearer JC. Policy analysis of integrated community case
management for childhood illnesses and newborn care: a six-country case study. Baltimore, USA:
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2013.
3. Dalglish S, Bennett S, George A, Shearer JC. Policy analysis of iCCM: policy development at the
global level. Baltimore, USA: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2013.
4. Munar W, Shearer JC. “Using Social Networks to Introduce a New Vaccine in Nigeria,” on
Impatient Optimists. [http://www.impatientoptimists.org/Posts/2012/11/Using-Social-Networks-toIntroduce-a-New-Vaccine-in-Nigeria] Blog published by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
2012.
5. Lavis JN, Shearer JC. Issue Brief: Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Canada. Hamilton, Canada:
McMaster Health Forum, 8 January 2010.
6. Shearer JC, Diop N. Comprehensive Condom Programming: Rapid Needs Assessment and
Strategic Planning Tool. United National Population Fund (UNFPA): New York, 2009.
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7. Shearer JC and Bear AP. The GAVI Hib Initiative: Accelerating Evidence-Based Decisions for Hib
Vaccines. Final Report. 2009
8. Vlassoff M, Shearer JC, Walker D, Lucas H. Economic Impact of Unsafe Abortion-Related
Morbidity and Mortality: Evidence and Estimation Challenges. IDS Research Report 59, December
2008.
Presentations (selected)
1. Shearer JC. “Policy development of integrated community case management (iCCM) at national
and global levels: a mixed-methods network analysis.” IHME Seminar, Institute of Health Metrics
and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 5 November 2014.
2. Shearer JC. “What comes after the network? Participatory network analysis for health systems
improvement and policy change.” On organized panel, Using social network analysis to discover
connections and areas for intervention in people-centered health systems. Third Global Symposium
on Health Systems Research, Cape Town, South Africa, 3 October 2014.
3. Shearer JC. “The exchange and use of research evidence in health policy-making: exponential
random graph models.” Global Health & Population Seminar, Harvard School of Public Health,
Boston, MA, 12 June 2014.
4. Shearer JC. “Does research evidence inform policy choice in low-income countries? Exponential
random graph models to determine the role of evidence exchange and use in policy networks.”
Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences (CSSS) Seminar, University of Washington, Seattle,
WA, 28 May, 2014.
5. Shearer JC. “How do policy networks interact with institutions, interests and ideas to affect policy
change?” Accepted poster presentation, Political Networks Conference, Indiana University, June
2013.
6. Shearer JC. “The exchange and use of research evidence in health policy networks” Accepted oral
presentation, Political Networks Conference, Indiana University, June 2013.
7. Shearer JC. “A ticket to the party: Using evidence to gain access to and affect policymaking.” On
organized panel, “Bringing ideas to the table: Actors, evidence and influence.” Organizer: Sara
Bennett. Second Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, Beijing, China, November 3,
2012.
8. Shearer JC. “The exchange and use of research evidence in policy networks in Burkina Faso.” On
organized panel, “Social network analysis for health systems and policy research: Approaches and
applications.” Organizer: Jessica Shearer. Second Global Symposium on Health Systems Research,
Beijing, China, November 2, 2012.
9. Shearer JC. “Cracking open policy networks: how new institutions reshape networks for policy
change.” Accepted poster presentation, Political Networks Conference, Boulder, CO, June 15, 2012.
10. Shearer JC. “Evidence-informed policy-making and innovation in Burkina Faso: does policy
network composition and structure matter?” Accepted oral presentation, International Network of
Social Network Analysis Sunbelt Conference, Redondo Beach, USA, March 13, 2012.
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11. Shearer JC. “The influence of policy network structure on knowledge translation: a conceptual
framework.” Accepted oral presentation, First Symposium on Global Health Research, Montreux,
Switzerland, November 18 2010.
12. Shearer JC. “Demystifying policymaking: how to affect policy change in crisis situations.”
International Women’s and Children’s Health Conference. Hamilton, Canada, November 5 2010.
Invited workshop facilitator.
13. Shearer JC. “Accelerating the diffusion of innovations – the case of Hib vaccine adoption.”
Accepted oral Presentation, Global Forum for Health Research, Havana, Cuba, November 18 2009.
14. Lavis JN and Shearer JC (presenter). “What are the current initiatives for knowledge synthesis and
translation for health systems strengthening?” Invited to present as part of a WHO special session to
discuss the need for creating an international collaboration for knowledge translation, at the Global
Forum for Health Research. Havana, Cuba, November 17 2009.
F. RESEARCH SUPPORT
Funder: Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR)
Shearer (PI)
May 2010 to August 2013
Social networks, research evidence and innovation in health policymaking in Burkina Faso.
Role: PI
Objective: To document, map and analyze social networks of health policy actors in Burkina Faso in
order to understand how research evidence is exchanged and used in policy processes, and how the
structure of policy networks influences policy innovation.
Funder: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Nations Children
Fund (UNICEF)
Bennett (PI)
December 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012
Policy Analysis of Integrated Community Case Management of Childhood Illness and Newborns.
Role: Co-investigator
Objective: The study aims to identify at the national level, factors that have hindered or supported policy
and program design regarding integrated community case management of childhood illness. Jessica
Shearer is responsible for project coordination, technical assistance to researchers in Mali and Niger, and
analysis and dissemination of cross-country data.
Funder: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Nations Children
Fund (UNICEF)
Bennett (PI)
May 2013 to October 2013
A policy analysis of community case management of childhood illness at the global level
Role: Co-investigator
This study builds on six country-specific policy analysis studies with the collection of interview and
network data at the cross-national and international levels. Jessica Shearer will be responsible for
collecting and analyzing network data.
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Contracts
Funder: Stellenbosch University
April-June 2015
Role: PI
Evaluation of Policy BUDDIES intervention in South African and Cameroon, which aims to strengthen
the capacity of health policy-makers to use research evidence to inform their decision-making.
Funder: NICE International
November 2014-March 2015
Role: Principal
Review of network interventions to inform the design of the International Decision Support Initiative
(iDSI) transnational network of technical assistance, and country-level health technology assessment
(HTA) networks
Funder: World Health Organization
November 2012
Role: Principal
Development of a longitudinal statistical model including all countries to test whether the introduction of
new vaccines had a positive or negative impact on the coverage of existing vaccines.
G. HONORS AND PRIZES
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Nominated for Governor General’s Academic Medal and Distinguished Dissertation Award
(2014)
Faculty of Health Science Graduate Excellence Award (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
American Political Science Association Visions in Methodology Conference Travel Award
(2014): $800
Political Networks Conference Fellowship (2013): $800
Political Networks Conference Fellowship (2012): $800
Faculty of Health Science Outstanding Presentation Award (2012)
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Frederick Banting and Charles Best Graduate
Scholarship (2010): $35,000 per annum for three years
Harry Lyman Hooker Doctoral Fellowship (2009): $24,000 per annum for four years
McMaster University Graduate Tuition Scholarship (2009): $5000
McMaster University Graduate Teaching Assistantship (2009): $5000
Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health (2007)
Frameworks in Global Health Fellowship – NIH Fogarty International Center/Johns Hopkins
School of Public Health (2006): $2500
Diana Hess Memorial Fund – Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2006): $700
Graduation with Distinction – McMaster University (2005)
H.L. Hooker Scholarship – McMaster University (2004): $1500
Class of ’37 Travel Scholarship – McMaster University (2003): $700
Incoming Honour Award – McMaster University (2001): $1500
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