Shannon A. McMahon is a public health scientist trained in quantitative and qualitative research methods, and program evaluation. Her research seeks to understand the interplay between health interventions and local contexts in an effort to learn how individuals make decisions related to careseeking for maternal, newborn and child health. Methodologically, she uses qualitative approaches to inform the design and interpretation of quantitative work. Before embarking on a career in public health, Shannon was a journalist working in Washington DC, Oregon and California. Along with disseminating information to fellow scientists via academic publications, she also tries to engage policymakers and to reach lay audiences via media engagement.