Mallika Bhandarkar is a policy analyst at RAND. She contributes to research and evaluation projects focused on health and social policy. Since joining RAND, she has managed complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives addressing mental health service accessibility, behavioral health payment reform, maternal health outcomes, youth violence prevention, and domestic violence support services.
Bhandarkar specializes in qualitative research methods and brings expertise in stakeholder engagement, program implementation, and rigorous evaluation. She excels at designing data collection protocols, conducting interviews and focus groups, analyzing complex qualitative data, and synthesizing findings into actionable policy guidance. Her work involves building partnerships across agencies, community organizations, health care systems, and other stakeholders to understand program effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
Prior to her role at RAND, Mallika worked as a public health research associate, providing technical assistance to home visiting programs serving pregnant families and new parents across Los Angeles County. Her work has consistently centered on public health equity, health disparities, and supporting vulnerable populations.
Bhandarkar holds a Master of Public Health degree in health promotion from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Boston University. She is passionate about using research to advance evidence-based policy and improve health and social outcomes for underserved communities.
M.P.H. in health promotion, Columbia University; B.A. in anthropology; minor in biology, Boston University
Spanish
