Maura Shramko
Maura Shramko is a researcher at AIR, where she examines how to create inclusive, supportive environments that promote thriving and well-being for young people and communities.
Dr. Shramko conducts research and evaluation that seeks to shift youth-serving environments by centering the strengths and perspectives of young people and communities who are directly impacted. For example, she recently led a qualitative study in partnership with San Francisco’s Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families Justice Services that elevated youth perspectives on their experiences in the San Francisco Juvenile Hall. Similarly, she is leading an implementation evaluation of the Jefferson Parish Pre-Arrest Diversion Program, where she integrates a positive youth development lens and collaborates with a local community advisory board to guide the project’s process, interpretation, and dissemination.
In addition, her work with AIR CARES focuses on promoting health equity for communities by addressing social determinants of health. For example, on the MATADOHR project, she led a latent class analysis of community-level social determinants of addiction, as well as a systematic review of racial segregation in research on opioid overdose.
Dr. Shramko’s work is grounded in positive youth development and public health perspectives. For example, as a postdoctoral fellow in the Diversion of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, her research integrated positive youth development and public health prevention and promotion with a focus on LGBTQIA+ and Latine youth. Prior to this, as a research associate at Search Institute, Dr. Shramko conducted research and evaluation on positive youth development across diverse linguistic and cultural contexts.
