Assistant Professor, Public Health
Professor Drake studies how structural and cultural factors prohibit and promote access to healthcare and health decision-making practices. Her research has an applied focus, with the intent of providing data-driven information to policymakers and community practitioners. Her area of research expertise focuses on substance use, with a particular interest in the United States opioid epidemic. Her current research focuses on identifying and addressing unmet need of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD). She is especially interested in the cultural and structural barriers contributing to unmet need of MAT. Professor Drake has also completed research projects on housing insecurity, utility bill burden, university-community partnerships, and global ethnic discrimination. Her ultimate goal is to develop strategies for more efficient health interventions and improve the communication process between public health, medicine, and communities being served through health programming.
Prior to returning to school for her Ph.D., Alexandria worked as an Epidemiologist for the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Program Manager for the Ohio Research Association for Public Health Improvement (RAPHI). She integrates her experiences from public health practice into her teaching.