Public Health Research & Consulting

Research That Goes
Beyond Translation

I support organizations in designing culturally and linguistically concordant research for Spanish-speaking and underserved communities—so your work is not just translated, but truly understood.

Research grounded in
culture and context

End-to-end research support that reflects how communities actually communicate and engage.

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Bilingual & Bicultural Research

Culturally and linguistically concordant research in English and Spanish—ensuring materials reflect how communities actually understand information.

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Qualitative Research

Interviews, focus groups, and thematic analysis to capture meaningful community perspectives with cultural sensitivity.

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Quantitative Research

Survey design, measure validation, and data analysis using R to produce clear, actionable insights.

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Community-Based Consulting

Research and program support grounded in cultural context and responsive to the communities being served.

A bicultural lens
research often lacks

As a Mexican-American and native Spanish speaker, I understand that direct translation is often not enough. Words, phrasing, and meaning shift across contexts.

My work ensures research is not only accurate, but culturally and linguistically concordant—so findings are more valid, inclusive, and impactful.

Bicultural Identity

Mexican-American background that brings lived context to cross-cultural research design and community engagement.

Native Spanish Speaker

Fluent linguistic expertise that goes beyond translation to capture meaning as it's actually used in communities.

Community-Based Experience

Hands-on fieldwork with underserved populations, ensuring research is grounded in real-world context.

MPH – UC San Diego

Graduate training in epidemiology and community-driven initiatives with a focus on health equity.

Teams committed to
community-centered work

I collaborate with organizations doing thoughtful, inclusion-focused work who want their research to be as accurate and impactful as possible.

Public Health Organizations
Nonprofits
Universities & Research Teams
Community-Based Programs
Programs Serving Spanish-Speaking Communities
Health Equity Initiatives

Bridging culture and research.

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MPH in Epidemiology, UC San Diego — focus on community-driven initiatives and data analysis

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Mexican-American, native Spanish speaker with lived bicultural experience

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Qualitative and quantitative methods — interview design, survey development, R analysis

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Fieldwork with underserved communities, emphasis on health equity


Download CV

Research is only as strong as how well it reflects the people it's meant to serve.

I'm a bicultural public health researcher and consultant specializing in culturally and linguistically concordant research for Spanish-speaking and underserved communities. My work helps organizations move beyond direct translation to create research that is accurate, meaningful, and grounded in real-world context.

"I've seen how often research misses the mark—not because of lack of effort, but because language and cultural context are treated as an afterthought."

When materials don't resonate or feel natural, it affects participation, trust, and ultimately the quality of the data. I'm committed to helping bridge that gap.

Rather than relying on direct translation, I develop materials that are culturally and linguistically concordant—ensuring that wording, tone, and structure align with how people actually communicate in their everyday lives.

This leads to:

  • More accurate and reliable data
  • Stronger participant engagement and trust
  • Findings that are more relevant and actionable
  • Research that genuinely represents the communities it studies

Culturally & Linguistically
Concordant Research Services

Research materials are not simply translated—they are adapted to reflect how language is actually used in real contexts. I offer flexible support across the full research lifecycle.

Bilingual & Bicultural Research

Designing research that reflects how Spanish-speaking communities actually communicate.

  • Cultural & linguistic adaptation of materials
  • Spanish-language survey & interview development
  • Review of translated instruments
  • Cognitive testing & pre-testing

Qualitative Research

Capturing in-depth community perspectives through culturally grounded methods.

  • Interview guide development
  • Focus group design & facilitation
  • Recruitment strategy development
  • Coding and thematic analysis
  • Qualitative synthesis & reporting

Quantitative Research

Designing and analyzing data to generate clear, actionable insights.

  • Survey instrument design & development
  • Measure validation & refinement
  • Statistical analysis using R
  • Descriptive, bivariate & multivariate analysis
  • Data visualization & reporting

Research Design & Evaluation

Building strong, structured research and evaluation plans.

  • Research question development
  • Qualitative, quantitative & mixed methods design
  • Evaluation plans (process, outcome, impact)
  • IRB application support

Data Collection

Supporting high-quality, culturally competent data collection across formats.

  • Survey deployment (online, phone, in-person)
  • Bilingual data collection (English & Spanish)
  • Data collection protocol development
  • Data collector training

Reporting & Dissemination

Turning data into clear, usable insights for different audiences.

  • Report writing & data briefs
  • Community-facing materials
  • Academic & professional presentations
  • Translation & adaptation of reports

I offer flexible support: full project collaboration, phase-specific help, or short-term consulting.

Book a Consultation

Selected projects &
areas of experience

Academic, field-based, and applied research focused on underserved and Spanish-speaking communities.

Community Research

Community-Based Research with Underserved Populations

Designed and conducted interviews and community engagement activities, supporting data collection in real-world community settings with culturally appropriate communication.

Qualitative research Community engagement Culturally competent methods
Linguistic Adaptation

Spanish-Language Research Material Development

Adapted surveys and interview guides beyond direct translation, reviewing language for cultural and contextual accuracy to ensure materials reflected real community usage.

Bilingual research Linguistic adaptation Survey design
Data Analysis

Survey Design & Quantitative Data Analysis

Developed survey instruments, cleaned and analyzed data using R, and created visualizations to communicate findings to diverse audiences.

R (statistical analysis) Survey design Data visualization
Qualitative Methods

Qualitative Data Analysis & Thematic Coding

Coded interview and focus group data, conducted thematic analysis, and synthesized findings into clear summaries and reports.

Thematic analysis Qualitative coding Data synthesis
Evaluation

Research & Evaluation Support

Contributed to research design and study planning, assisted with data collection and analysis, and supported interpretation and reporting of findings.

Mixed methods Evaluation design Reporting
Interested in working together? Get in touch

Published work spanning
academia, policy & practice

Peer-reviewed research, community assessments, and program features that reflect my commitment to culturally grounded, community-centered work.

Let's build research that truly reflects the communities you serve.

Whether you need full project support or help with a specific phase, I'd love to connect and learn more about your work.

madison@puenteconsulting.com
📍 California, USA