Dr. Niranjana Kowlessar is the Director of Research and Evaluation for Karna, LLC. She is an accomplished leader with 15 years of experience directing projects for federal and state clients, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC).

Before joining Karna, she led public health and data analytics programs, shaped and directed strategic initiatives, managed business development and growth, and ensured excellence in project execution and delivery.

During her career, Niranjana has researched the impact of tobacco policies on health behaviors, managed workplace health and productivity studies, and led quantitative and qualitative research efforts conducting program assessments, performing data and program analysis, and evaluating federal healthcare programs.

Niranjana earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Knox College where she graduated cum laude. She went on to earn her Master of Arts in Economics and her PhD in Health Policy and Administration from the University of Illinois. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications as well as issue briefs and reports.

Publication Highlights

Pine M, Kowlessar NM, Salemi JL, Miyamura J, Zingmond DS, Katz NE & Schindler J. (2015). Enhancing Clinical Content and Race/Ethnicity Data in Statewide Hospital Administrative Databases: Obstacles Encountered, Strategies Adopted, and Lessons Learned. Health Services Research. 50 (Suppl 1): 1300–1321.

Goetzel RZ, Kowlessar NM, Henke R, Benevent R, Tabrizi M, Colombi AM. (2013). Six-year cost trends at PPG industries paralleling the introduction of health promotion programs directed at cardiovascular disease prevention. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 55(5):483–489.

Kowlessar NM, Goetzel RZ, Carls GS, Tabrizi MJ, Guindon A. (2011). The Relationship between Eleven Health Risks and Medical and Productivity Costs for a Large Employer. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 53(5): 468-477.

Kowlessar NM, Henke RM, Goetzel RZ, Colombi AM, Felter EM. (2010). The Influence of Worksite Health Promotion Program Management and Implementation Structure Variables on Medical Care Costs at PPG Industries. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 52(12):1160-1166.

Ruel E, Mani N, Sandoval A, Terry-McElrath Y, Slater S, Tworek C, Chaloupka F.(2004). After the Master Settlement Agreement: Trends in the American tobacco retail environment from 1999 to 2002. Health Promotions Practice. 5(Suppl 3): 99S-110S.