Sandra E. Yankah Ph.D.

Sandra E. Yankah, Ph.D., serves as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy, where she channels her expertise into projects aimed at fostering health equity, enhancing health system performance, and delving into the bioethical ramifications of health policy and biomedical innovation. Dr. Yankah's academic journey began at Western Carolina University's Honors College, where she earned bachelor's degrees in psychology and sociology. She continued her pursuit of knowledge with a master's degree in clinical psychology from Valdosta State University before attaining her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Throughout her doctoral studies, Dr. Yankah actively engaged in various research and service initiatives centered around health policy. Notable among these endeavors were her roles on the university’s Health Insurance Advocacy Committee, participation in the Research to Policy Collaboration, and completion of the Virginia Academy of Science Engineering and Medicine’s COVES fellowship.

In her current role, Dr. Yankah's responsibilities include teaching bass connections courses at Duke University and engaging in research activities across the center's research portfolio. She collaborates closely with faculty, scholars, students, and external health experts to propel the Institute's research agenda forward. Her comprehensive background and extensive experience in social determinants of health outcomes, dissemination, and implementation science, and health services research greatly enrich her contributions. Dr. Yankah is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.