Welcome Dr. Kathryn Birnie, Associate Scientific Director – Population Health
The O’Brien Institute for Public Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Katie Birnie, PhD, as the new Associate Scientific Director, Population Health, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Dr. Birnie is a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, and Community Health Sciences, and an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Psychology. She is an active member of the O’Brien Institute, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research, the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, and the Owerko Centre.
As the lead of Partnering for Pain, Dr. Birnie directs a dynamic research program focused on achieving quality, equitable pain management for children. Her work is rooted in deep partnerships with youth, families, health professionals, policymakers, hospitals, and community organizations. She also serves as the Associate Scientific Director of Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP), a national network dedicated to mobilizing evidence-based solutions for children’s pain through coordination and collaboration.
Across all her roles, Dr. Birnie is a passionate advocate for integrating individuals, families, and communities into the heart of health research, healthcare delivery, and health systems design.
Dr. Birnie brings to this position a strong commitment to advancing population health through transdisciplinary research, transformational leadership, health equity, and meaningful community partnerships.
“I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to the Institute’s mission to advance public health through research excellence,” she says. “This role aligns deeply with my commitment to enhancing population health through collaborative, equity-driven, community-engaged research.”
In her new leadership role, Dr. Birnie is eager to champion approaches that strengthen trust, broaden engagement, and ensure impact.
“I look forward to creating opportunities to collaboratively innovate, grow, and integrate leading practices for health equity, diverse community engagement, and knowledge mobilization. I am particularly interested in prioritizing trauma-informed and culturally responsive partnership practices, strategies to build the trustworthiness of public health research, and responding to the structural and sociopolitical challenges that continue to undermine equity in health research across Canada.”
She is also committed to fostering community:
“I will strive to foster a community where diverse individuals and partners feel heard, seen, known, and valued, while creating a space that is bravely hopeful,” she says.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Katie Birnie to the O’Brien Institute’s leadership team.