Biography
Katherine (Katie) McDonald is the Associate Vice President for Research at Syracuse University and a Professor of Public Health. A widely-published researcher, Katie uses socioecological theory and community-engaged research to promote inclusion and address disparities experienced by individuals with disabilities. Her work focuses on the ethical, legal, and social implications of research involving adults with developmental disabilities, and strategies to advance models and practices of community-engaged research. Since joining Syracuse in 2011, Katie has served in a variety of leadership roles, including Senior Associate Dean for Research and Administration in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Chair of the Public Health Department, and Chair of the University’s Institutional Review Board. She is a faculty fellow at the Aging Studies Institute, the Burton Blatt Institute, the Consortium for Culture and Medicine, and in disability studies, and is a research affiliate at the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health. Katie is a Fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and serves on the editorial board of Autism in Adulthood. In her role as Associate Vice President for Research, Katie works to support faculty research, strengthen mentoring, and identify strategic opportunities to advance Syracuse University’s research enterprise.