Priyanka is a principal research scientist in the Health Sciences Department at NORC. She has over 15 years of experience in health services research with methodological expertise in systematic literature reviews, qualitative research, and mixed-method evaluations. 

Through her project work, Priyanka has explored a range of topics, including digital health, artificial intelligence, data interoperability, health-related social needs, patient preferences, shared decision-making, outcomes measurement, comparative effectiveness, and quality improvement interventions. She has also implemented a variety of dissemination strategies like newsletters, website updates, product inventories, webinars, conference panels, social media campaigns, and publications.

Currently, Priyanka serves as project director for several NORC projects. These include the Maryland Statewide Prevention and Reduction Collaborative (SPARC), a quality improvement effort among public health, academics, and acute care hospitals, and NORC’s implementation evaluation of George Washington University's Expanding and Promoting Alternative Care and Knowledge in Decision-making (ExPAND) Trial. She is also leading a scoping review on long-acting injectable antipsychotics for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Previously, Priyanka served as project director for a PCORI-funded mixed-methods assessment of user experience during PCORnet® Phase 3. 

Since 2020, Priyanka has guided dissemination and communication for the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation’s data infrastructure project portfolio. From 2021 to 2025, she led the Stakeholder Community and Outreach Center for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-funded Clinical Decision Support Innovation Collaborative. As part of this work, she guided 25+ environmental scans, co-authored 35 written products, engaged 78 workgroup members, and coordinated 100+ workgroup meetings. 

Before joining NORC, Priyanka co-authored four systematic reviews with the Minnesota Evidence-Based Practice Center (EPC) and conducted research focused on risk of bias. At the Lewin Group, Desai supported the AHRQ EPC Scientific Resource Center, reviewing topic nominations, developing topic briefs, and conducting systematic review surveillance assessments.