Meet the QHRC Team

Cameron MacDonald, PhD

Principal & Founder

Dr. Macdonald is an expert in qualitative research methods and health services research. She received her PhD in Sociology from Brandeis University in 1998. Prior to founding QHRC, she spent twenty years as a sociology faculty member teaching Qualitative Research Methods and Health Policy at several universities, including the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Harvard University, and at the University of Connecticut. She received a Certificate for Clinical and Translational Research through the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 2010.  In 2014, she founded QHRC out of a deep desire to improve healthcare delivery and because she saw a need for state-of-the-science qualitative research methods in health services and clinical research. 

Since founding QHRC, Dr. Macdonald has served as Co-Investigator on NIH, CMS, and PCORI-funded projects, and as co-author on numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. During the past five years at QHRC, she has served as the qualitative lead on clinical trials, surgical outcomes research projects, stakeholder engagement, and implementation science. Cameron specializes in assisting collaborators in writing successful grants, translating research aims into actionable research processes, overseeing data collection and qualitative data analysis, and writing and publishing the results of qualitative research.

In her spare time, she loves kayaking, hiking with her husband and their dog, and watching her beloved Red Sox and the UW Women’s Ice Hockey team.

Diana Gutierrez-Meza

Diana Gutierrez-Meza, MPH

Lead Researcher

Diana is the Lead Researcher at QHRC. She has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of South Florida-College of Public Health. Her graduate studies focused on global public health and reproductive health concerns impacting minority populations in the Americas.

Diana is QHRC’s NVivo expert, leading trainings in Qualitative Data Analysis, and overseeing all data analysis projects. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is in charge of all bilingual research at QHRC. Her most recent work at QHRC has involved overseeing interview-based studies on technology adoption, health disparities, patient-centered surgical outcomes and implementation science.

Diana loves avocados, dancing salsa and merengue with her husband, and playing soccer with a Latina team.

Leslie A. Seas

Leslie A Seas, MPH

Office Manager

Leslie is QHRC’s Office Manager. She has a Master of Public Health degree from Capella University, and worked as a Preventive Medicine Specialist in the United States Army for eight years. Her service time includes a tour of duty to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where she was able to find her passion for the public health field and prevention of disease and non-battle injury.

Leslie oversees all contracts, billing, accounts payable and human resources for QHRC.

When not at work maintaining the foundation of QHRC, Leslie enjoys time being a sports and dance Mom, cooking and experiencing the great outdoors with her husband, step-son and four daughters. She also owns and operates her own photography business, nurturing her love of photography and the arts.

Ali Konkel

Ali Konkel, MSW

Research Assistant

Ali Konkel is a Research Assistant at QHRC. Ali has a Master of Social Work degree with a focus on Policy and Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining QHRC, Ali worked on a variety of stakeholder engagement projects within the Wisconsin Technical College system and for the North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board.

At QHRC, she serves as an interviewer, study coordinator, and data analyst on an array of projects. She is interested in improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities by engaging in qualitative research and supporting community collaborations.

In her free time, she enjoys cooking, doing yoga and spending time with her children, ages four and eight.

Sofia Jonas

Sofia Jonas

Research Assistant

Sofia is a Research Assistant at QHRC. She graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies focused on socioeconomic inequality in the United States. Her professional history includes several years of qualitative research projects at numerous public health and social service agencies.

At QHRC, she serves as a data analysis and NVivo coder.

Outside of work, Sofia enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending quality time with her cat, Jackie.