About

My name is Alicia Stone (Williamson). I am a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan School of Information, advised by Dr. Tiffany Veinot, where I specialize in digital health equity and accessible technology design. My research investigates how technology enables and impedes healthcare access among marginalized populations, with a particular focus on mental healthcare accessibility. I examine the intersection of health informatics, social justice, and human-computer interaction (HCI) to understand and address healthcare disparities that emerge through technology use.

My dissertation explores how digital technology affects mental healthcare access and coordination for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) who are financially disenfranchised. Through extensive fieldwork and interviews with community mental health providers and consumers, I've uncovered how technology challenges often hinder healthcare access while identifying the creative—though frequently unsustainable—strategies consumers develop to maintain access to care. My doctoral work has resulted in publications in leading journals, including JAMIA and JMIR, with two papers receiving special recognition: one featured in JAMIA's 2024 editorial selections and another recognized as one of the best consumer health informatics papers of 2021 by the International Medical Informatics Association.

My career spans positions at leading organizations, including Google DeepMind, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Peace Corps Peru, where I've consistently worked to bridge research with practical implementation that creates meaningful change for underserved communities. My expertise in community-based participatory approaches, health informatics, and accessible technology design positions me to contribute to organizations focused on policy and innovative technological solutions.

Personal website

CV

Dissertation title

The Role of Technology in Community Mental Healthcare Access, Retention, and Coordination

Fields of interest

Health informatics; human computer interaction, ICTs and social change, Digital Health Equity

Education

BA Psychology, George Washington University, 2013