Neha leads quantitative and qualitative research focused on health communication science, message development among vulnerable populations, vaccine hesitancy, social media and health, health literacy, campaign and program evaluation.   She also supports the multi-mode evaluation for CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease to assess effective strategies to enhance adult immunization uptake. Neha supports user testing through asynchronous methodology of provider readiness materials for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She led the multi-mode formative research for How Right Now, CDC’s campaign to promote and strengthen the emotional well-being and resiliency of teachers and school staff who were adversely affected by COVID-19–related stress, grief, and loss. She has also led multiple qualitative projects, conducting focus groups and interviews understanding vaccine hesitancy among Kansans, and vaccine confidence and decision making among patients and providers.

During her post-doctoral fellowship, Neha managed cancer communication projects at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch. Her prior experience focused on addressing facilitators and barriers to cancer communication and prevention. She led eye-tracking studies assessing individuals’ information processing and credibility assessment of cancer-related messages on social media. In addition she is skilled in secondary data analysis on nationally representative datasets, such as Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Prior to NCI, Neha has led various communication campaign evaluations utilizing quantitative and qualitative methodologies.