Health Advocacy Solutions draws from the collective expertise of a multi-disciplinary team of independent researchers, consultants, and advocates who work together on behalf of our clients:
Jason McNichol, PhD, Founder and Director
Jason is a sociologist, researcher, and patient advocate with over twelve years of experience addressing challenges in the health-care system. He holds his PhD and MA degrees from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Science with Highest Honors from Cornell University. Before founding Health Advocacy Solutions, Jason served as a program officer at the Social Science Research Council in New York City, where he directed health-related projects funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other philanthropies. He is also a co-founder of ELM Research and Strategy-- a consultancy dedicated to bringing interdisciplinary expertise to bear on problems facing organizations and firms. Over the course of his career, Jason has received several major awards, including fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He has taught at the University of California, the University of Freiburg (Germany), and other campuses. Jason has also authored several articles and chapters on contemporary issues published by Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and others.
Jason’s commitment to health-care research and advocacy has been strongly informed by his own experiences as a patient and scholar. More...
Shala Erlich, MD, Care Advocate and Clinical Liaison
Shala is passionate about helping patients and families navigate our challenging healthcare system. She holds her BA cum laude from Yale University in the History of Science and Medicine. Shala received her MD and two years of residency training in Anatomic Pathology at the University of Washington.
For the last four years, Shala has taught anatomy and physiology, disease processes, and the history of science at Seattle University. Her teaching experience also includes a graduate course in Biomedical Informatics at the University of Washington. Shala has published several essays on health, illness, and the experience of being a patient.
José Pares-Avila, MN, MA, NP-C, RN, ARNP, LMHC, Clinical Research Associate: José is a nurse practitioner, mental health counselor, and interdisciplinary researcher on care challenges facing diverse populations. He has over 20 years of experience working in clinical and community settings addressing the unique primary and chronic care needs of children and adolescents, infectious disease patients, Latino immigrants, and sexual minorities. José is currently completing a Doctorate of Nurse Practice at the University of Washington.
Daren Nicholson, MD, CM, e-Health Technology Advisor: Trained originally as a medical doctor, Daren Nicholson now works on the implementation of medical informatics solutions to improve health-care outcomes for patients and consumers. He is currently working with ICW America-- an international e-health technology provider. Daren earned his Doctorate of Medicine (MD, CM) degree from McGill University in Montreal (Canada), as well as a Masters of Biomedical Informatics from Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. Since 2005, Daren's other consulting work has focused on policy and technical issues related to personal health records (PHRs).
Kent Unruh, PhD, Patient-Provider Communication Advisor: Kent Unruh is a leading researcher studying how patients manage information and communicate with their providers to navigate the medical system and coordinate distributed care. He holds his BA in computer systems from Goshen College, a master of science (MS) degree in information technology from Northwestern University, and a doctorate in information science from the University of Washington. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the the University of Washington's School of Medicine. Kent brings to our team over a decade of experience implementing innovative communication and information tools to empower communities and improve the quality of care in clinical settings.
Patricia (Trish) Ohliger-Frerking, PhD, MPH, Community Health Liaison: Trish Frerking holds her PhD in physiology from the University of California at Davis, and a masters in public health through the joint program at Portland State University and Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). In June of 2006, Trish completed a year-long internship with the Oregon Institute on Disability and Development (OIDD). While at OIDD she completed the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program at OHSU’s Child Development and Rehabilitation Center. At the Center, Trish worked in collaboration with diverse health professionals to assess needs and recommend appropriate services to children with neuro-developmental disabilities.
Sean Larkin, MPA, Information Technology Advisor: Sean is an integrated IT and knowledge management specialist with more than ten years’ experience leading new projects in diverse organizational environments. After graduating with honors from the University of Virginia in 1998, Sean went on to complete a masters in public administration as a Jon Ben Snow Fellow in Nonprofit Management at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School. He currently works with OpenSourcery-- an organization that provides IT solutions to sustainable businesses and non-profits.