Nancy Brown, Ph.D.

PAMF Investigator, Health Policy Research

Nancy L. Brown, Ph.D., a developmental psychologist, is Education Projects Manager at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and Investigator in the Research Institute. Dr. Brown has research, evaluation, teaching, and clinical experience pertaining to psychosocial development, mental and physical health, chronic disease, alcohol and drug abuse, and sexuality.

Dr. Brown is currently the principal investigator on a grant funded by the Safeway Foundation to help communities curb the obesity epidemic and is supporting several important patient-related outcomes projects at PAMF including the Bay Area Breastfeeding Experience Survey (BABES) and the Asthma Management Project. Her recent work includes an NIH-funded project investigating the use of a nurse navigator to assist men diagnosed with prostate cancer select a treatment, and an AHRQ-funded project exploring the efficacy of an electronic health record-based intervention for diabetic patients.

Dr. Brown coordinates health information websites for preteens and teens and leads the award winning WAY2GO! wellness assessment for youth, a project initially funded by The Health Trust in 2009. Her previous research investigated variables associated with the use of condoms by California Latinos, the efficacy of an education intervention to prevent HIV in injection drug users, young women who have been diagnosed with an STD, transgender youth, and condom availability programs. She has taught at San Jose State and Stanford University, and developed web-based training for the American Psychological Association’s Behavioral & Social Scientist Volunteer program.