Orla Kennedy

Orla Kennedy is a policy analyst for the Substance Use Disorders team, working to improve treatment access, build community support systems, increase access to services and expand incarceration alternative programs.

Orla has experience in policy research and analysis, stakeholder engagement and technical assistance. Her experience in health advocacy includes maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS as well as gun violence prevention.  She has worked at John Snow, Inc., Harvard School of Public Health and the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. Orla brings her public health perspective to Community Catalyst, and is passionate about health equity and improving health outcomes for underserved populations.

Orla has a Master of Science in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor’s from Providence College.

Community Catalyst works to ensure consumer interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and the health system are made: in communities, courtrooms, statehouses and on Capitol Hill.