Dr. Erin McGaffigan has been recognized by her peers and clients, time and time again, for her critical analysis, problem solving, productivity, efficiency, and overall integrity in all that she does. She developed Collective Insight to share her strategies with others who work to support the “collective good.” Dr. McGaffigan, as the founder and leader for a certified woman-owned business, has extensive experience in the area of community-based long-term services and supports for elders and people with diverse disabilities. Her expertise includes research on consumer advisory committee practices; the development of participant direction models; the creation of innovative peer support strategies; and the engagement of cross-disability advocacy groups in policy design and research.

Dr. McGaffigan has assumed various lead roles since 2006, including her most recent work informing the development of long-term services and supports for managed care; supporting the organizational growth and continuous quality improvement of peer-run organizations; and assisting researchers to engage people with lived experience as partners, not just as research subjects. She currently serves as a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Ambassador, an Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Aging and Social Policy (JASP), and a Research and Development Fellow with the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston. Dr. McGaffigan and Collective Insight have been awarded three separate evaluations for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants that develop and expand addiction peer recovery supports within Massachusetts. Dr. McGaffigan also is a Lead Investigator for the PCORI-funded initiative, the Aging PCOR Learning Collaborative: Advanced Engagement (EACB-26961) Project, to expand researchers’ readiness for effective engagement of older adults in research design and implementation. Prior to these roles, Dr. McGaffigan was the Public Policy Lead at Boston College’s National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services where she developed and managed the Center’s public policy agenda and community engagement strategies. Dr. McGaffigan received a Master’s in Science in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Community Organization, Public Policy and Administration from Boston College. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, where she focused her dissertation research on the complex factors and related outcomes of community engagement practices.