Elizabeth Pinyan joined the UNC Highway Safety Research Center in 2022. She is a Research Associate with expertise in behavioral research, health communication, program evaluation, and community engagement. She has served as a co-investigator on multiple projects focused on improving transportation safety across the lifespan at both the state and national levels. She is currently the PI on an NCDOT-sponsored project that brings together perspectives from engineers, school leaders, and families to identify opportunities to strengthen communication, support implementation, and enhance safety around school campuses.

Elizabeth’s work is grounded in a passion for centering community needs through design thinking and creative problem-solving. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and holds a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) in Health Education and Health Communication from Johns Hopkins University. Elizabeth is also a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician and CarFit Event Coordinator.

Prior to joining HSRC, Elizabeth worked as an injury prevention research fellow at the Army Public Health Center. At APHC, she translated evidence-based information into digestible education and communication products for Soldiers.