Get to know the Ohio Alliance team: Rachael

Dr. Rachael Schilling, Senior Program & Research Manager

The Ohio School-Based Health Alliance will be publishing a “Get to Know the Team” series highlighting the incredible individuals that advance the work of the Ohio Alliance and support our school-based health care partners statewide.

Dr. Rachael Schilling joined the Ohio Alliance in May 2023 as a program manager. Today, as Senior Program & Research Manager, Rachael leads the organization’s data and research initiatives — advancing statewide efforts to strengthen, evaluate, and sustain school-based health care in Ohio. She oversees data management, analysis, and visualization for the Ohio Alliance and drives research that informs policy and practice.

You may recognize Rachael’s name from communication about the Ohio Alliance Annual School-Based Health Center (SBHC) Census, a statewide data collection initiative that captures vital information on the reach, operations, and impact of SBHCs across Ohio.

In graduate school, Rachael developed an interest in community well-being and health equity, especially among youth. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati and her Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Delaware.

Learn more about Rachael in her own words in the Q & A below.

What brought you to the world of school-based health care, and what’s your “why”? 

As I was finishing my dissertation and preparing to go on the job market, I was planning to look for a role focused on violence prevention research. Mostly, I was prioritizing finding an organization that makes a difference in my community. I came upon the job listing for this role and it seemed perfect. Though not exactly the direction I’d planned, I was familiar with SBHCs from my work in graduate school and knew them to be a powerful model for prevention — not just violence prevention but prevention of other adverse experiences, too. Plus, I was excited to join a young organization and play a part in building it up.  

What’s the most rewarding part of your role? 

I learned from my graduate school research experience that it is generally very difficult to get people to respond to surveys. When I began one of my major projects at the Ohio Alliance, the Ohio SBHC Census, I thought I would have the same problem. After the first year of data collection, I was thrilled that so many of our SBHC operators voluntarily submitted their data, a trend that has continued every year since. It’s so rewarding to be part of a community that understands and agrees with the value of data and trusts the Ohio Alliance to leverage that data to support Ohio’s SBHC network in any way we can.  

When you think about school-based health care in Ohio, what gives you hope or inspires you? 

I am inspired by the dedication and passion of everyone in the field of school-based health care. Whether it’s other state level organizations or school or SBHC staff, Ohio believes in the power of school-based health care to ensure youth have the support and resources they need to start adulthood healthy, confident, and supported.  

When you’re not working to strengthen school-based health care, how do you like to spend your time? 

I love to read, especially science fiction and fantasy, and spending time with my husband and son. Recently I’ve been getting into watercolor painting and have been enjoying that as well!  

What’s something about you that might surprise people? 

We live a half hour away from the Ohio Renaissance Festival, and my husband and I have gotten season passes for years. We have a great time putting together costumes and walking around the festival, attending shows and meeting other festival attendees. We brought our son this year too, and I’m looking forward to making him a costume for next year! 

Rachael with her husband, Ryan, and son,

Lukas, at the Ohio Renaissance Festival this year