Ziller Appointed Director of Health Services Research Center
The Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Erika Ziller, Ph.D., as director of the Health Services Research Center, effective September 5, 2023. Prior to this role, Ziller served as director of the Maine Rural Health Research Center and chair of public health at the University of Southern Maine.
In her new capacity at UVM, Ziller will report to Senior Associate Dean for Research, Kate Tracy, Ph.D. Dean Tracy notes that Ziller will guiding the Center toward a model that incorporates research, education/training, and service components. As the director of this innovative center, Ziller will collaborate closely with faculty members at the Larner College of Medicine involved in health services research and will foster partnerships other UVM colleges, the UVM Medical Health Network and its Jeffords Institute, the Vermont Blueprint for Health, the Vermont Department of Health, the Green Mountain Care Board, and OneCare Vermont.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Ziller join the Larner College of Medicine in such an important research leadership role. I look forward to supporting her efforts to expand the version for health services research in the College of Medicine and beyond,” said Dean Tracy.
Ziller earned an M.S. in health policy and management and a Ph.D. in public policy from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine. Her career at the University of Southern Maine began in 1998 as a research analyst and progressed to a research associate position in 2001. In 2010, she was appointed senior research associate and deputy director of the Maine Rural Health Research Center.
Rural and public health, as well as health policy, have always been central to Dr. Ziller’s clinical and research journey. Her role as principal investigator and director of the Maine Rural Health Research Center, a nationally recognized center funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (HRSA, DHHS), involved conducting policy-relevant research on rural health issues. Ziller also served on the Internal Advisory Committee for MaineHealth’s Acute Care Research and Rural Health Disparities COBRE. She has authored or co-authored nearly 40 articles and book chapters, focusing on such topics as health disparities in rural and low-income populations, access to health services, and maternal and pediatric health policy. In addition, her expertise has been consistently cited by various New England and national media outlets.
“It is a privilege to work with all the talented scientists studying population health and health care systems within the College and the UVM,” stated Ziller. “Every new conversation leaves me more excited about the health services research already underway here, and the opportunities to grow this work and improve the health experiences of people in Vermont, New England, and beyond.”