Sarah L. Desmarais, PhD

Sarah L. Desmarais, PhD, joined Policy Research Associates (PRA) in 2021 and has been its President and CEO since 2022. She is responsible for the overall success and performance of PRA. Dr. Desmarais completed her graduate training in Forensic Psychology and Law at Simon Fraser University followed by a postdoctoral research fellowship in Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining PRA, Dr. Desmarais was a Professor of Psychology and University Faculty Scholar at North Carolina (NC) State University. There, she held leadership positions, serving as Director of the Center for Family and Community Engagement and Coordinator of the Applied Social and Community Psychology Graduate Program. She also was a member of the NC State University Research Leadership Academy and Academy of Outstanding Faculty Engaged in Extension. Before NC State, Dr. Desmarais was an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida holding joint appointments in the Department of Community and Family Health and the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy.

Dr. Desmarais works on issues at the intersection of public health, community safety, and social justice. Her current research is focused on evidence-based practices for reducing detention rates, especially among people with behavioral health needs. Dr. Desmarais has authored more than 140 peer-reviewed publications in journals including the American Journal of Public Health, Criminal Justice and Behavior, and Law and Human Behavior. She has served as principal investigator and co-investigator on grants and contracts from foundations and government agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Justice, and the John T. and Catherine D. MacArthur Foundation, among many others. Her work has been featured in international media outlets such as the Washington Post, HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, NPR, CBC Radio, and Sky News.