HEO is thrilled to announce that our team has grown! Our footprint is growing in many ways this year, including our client base, topics we address, and our staff.
Our clients now span life science and pharmaceutical companies, professional societies, patient advocacy organizations, and philanthropies. We are excited to spearhead projects in clinical data registries, federally qualified health center pharmacy services, community health workers, and women’s health. As HEO expands, our organization’s focus remains resolute: closing gaps in healthcare access and outcomes.
We look forward to working with Elise Berliner, Liyana Ido, and MaryAnne Elma to close these gaps and improve health equity in the United States. Read the bios below to learn more about our new team members.
Elise Berliner, PhD joins HEO as a Senior Advisor, and is an expert in Real World Evidence and Patient Registries. Dr. Berliner was the Global Senior Principal of Real World Evidence Strategy with Oracle Life Sciences. Before joining Oracle, she held the role of the Director of the Technology Assessment Program at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), providing systematic reviews and other scientific analyses to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to inform Medicare coverage decisions and other policy issues. She also led the development of the landmark AHRQ handbook “Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes: A User’s Guide”. Dr. Berliner has several years of experience in research and development at innovative medical technology companies, was a Fellow at the Office of Technology Assessment in the United States Congress, and received her Ph.D. in biophysics from Brandeis University.
Liyana Ido, MSPH joins HEO as a Research Manager, with over six years’ experience managing, monitoring, and evaluating public health programs, both domestically and globally. Before joining the team, she was a Program Analyst at USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health, where she provided technical assistance on program monitoring and measurement to global family planning projects. Prior to joining USAID, she also worked at the Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health to conduct implementation evaluations of school-based comprehensive sex education across Maryland. Liyana received her Master of Science in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
MaryAnne Elma, MPH joins HEO as the Vice President of Strategy and Operations, with expertise in clinical policy development, digital strategy, and implementation from 25+ years of experience in professional societies. Ms. Elma was the Chief Science and Policy Officer at the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) where she led future-focused strategies on data science, revenue diversification, and global impact. Prior to ADLM, she transformed the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) implementation portfolio over 20 years — integrating guideline content in field studies, learning networks, research, registries, and digital applications. She represented the ACC in its long-standing guidelines partnership with the American Heart Association and led an optimization effort to accelerate development and broaden global accessibility. At the ACC, Ms. Elma achieved the highest number of guideline media pick-ups in 20+ years in 2017; established the ACC as the only medical society in the United Sates offering 10+ clinical apps in 2017; and authored the “don’t delay care” campaign reaching 4M viewers across national TV in 2020 during the pandemic. She has published and provided thought leadership on implementation of evidence-based guidelines, impact of educational interventions on specific health outcomes, and the use of digital applications to improve diagnosis and treatment. Ms. Elma has a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a BA from Bucknell University.