Professional Profile
Dr. Giray is the Communications Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, where she oversees strategic communications, public relations, and media activities. In collaboration with the Center team, Dr. Giray helps to promote the Center’s brand voice and commitment to protecting people’s health.
Prior to joining the Center, Dr. Giray worked at the global communications agency Weber Shandwick, where she supported integrated media, high-profile events, and thought leadership for nonprofit to Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare, social impact, and sustainability sectors.
Previously, Dr. Giray served as the Director of Communications of Research-to-Policy Collaboration at Penn State University. In this capacity, she led policy communication and outreach efforts, connecting the scientific community and federal and state government stakeholders and coordinating numerous congressional briefings and roundtables.
Concurrently, Dr. Giray was a consultant with the World Bank Group, providing input for social development, health, and governance projects. Dr. Giray has authored and coauthored peer-reviewed publications, policy reports, and briefs on science communication, global health, globalization, and cross-cultural psychology.
Dr. Giray earned her PhD and MS in human development and family studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and BS in psychology from Bilkent University.
Recent Publications
Cutting through the noise during crisis by enhancing the relevance of research to policymakers
Cultivating researcher-policymaker partnerships: A randomized controlled trial of a model for training public psychologists.
Who is listening? Profiles of policymaker engagement with scientific communication
Rapid-cycle experimentation with state and federal policymakers for optimizing the reach of racial equity research
Rapport Building Communications for Optimizing Science Dissemination
