Dr. John leads large, complex, federally funded research projects, directing all aspects of the work to ensure client satisfaction and accomplishment of research goals. For example, Dr. John was Principal Investigator for the recently completed NIH Healthy Communities Study, a $30M six-year study to assess the relationship between characteristics of community programs and policies and childhood obesity. Dr. John established strong, collaborative relationships with the client team and partners and guided them through many complex decisions. She oversaw a geographically dispersed team of more than 80 professional and administrative staff, 20 telephone interviewers, and 200 field interviewers in 130 communities nationwide. Dr. John led Battelle operations on the African American Eye Disease Study, a NIH-funded population-based study of eye disease led by the University of Southern California. She has directed field operations for several similar studies, including the recruitment of more than 6,300 Latino participants for the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study, re-engagement of this population for 4-year and 8-year follow-ups, and completion of the Chinese American Eye Study, with more than 4,500 participants. Dr. John has managed projects involving large literature reviews and a wide spectrum of data collection activities including household enumeration, screening, multi-mode survey data collection, standardized neurobehavioral and developmental assessments, observational assessments, recruitment for clinical exams, biological and environmental sample collection, tracing and tracking, record abstraction, in-depth interviewing, cognitive interviewing, and focus groups with a wide variety of participants.

Under mentorship of agency president, managed 35-member volunteer Board of Directors and nine Board committees. Worked closely with community members to develop new programs. Wrote proposals and monitored budgets for several new program initiatives, including a successful $500,000 AmeriCorps grant.