Kristyn E. Piñeda, DBH, MHI, is a clinical research and program development professional specializing in addiction medicine, integrated behavioral health care, and health system innovation. She currently serves as a Research Program Administrative Officer in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and the Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center at Banner University Medical Center – Phoenix, where she supports the development and implementation of clinical research and multidisciplinary care initiatives focused on substance use disorders.

Dr. Piñeda’s work focuses on improving care coordination, patient navigation, and treatment access for individuals with substance use disorders across diverse clinical settings. She collaborates closely with clinical leadership to design operational infrastructure that supports clinical research, grant development, program evaluation, and interdisciplinary collaboration across academic and health system partners. Her current research interests include treatment engagement in intensive outpatient programs, integrated behavioral health models, medication treatment for opioid use disorder, and system-level approaches to improving continuity of care.

Prior to her current role, Dr. Piñeda served as Program Manager for addiction medicine initiatives within the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, where she led the operational implementation of programs designed to expand treatment capacity and strengthen care coordination across clinical settings. She played a key role in developing workforce development initiatives, including the Beyond Addiction Telementoring Program and the Champions for Change Train-the-Trainer program, both designed to expand provider capacity for evidence-based addiction medicine care.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Piñeda contributed to national translational research initiatives at Arizona State University, supporting development of the international GBM AGILE adaptive clinical trial platform for glioblastoma through the National Biomarker Development Alliance. Her work involved coordinating multidisciplinary scientific collaborations and supporting regulatory and operational processes associated with complex clinical trial development.

Dr. Piñeda holds a Doctor of Behavioral Health from Arizona State University and a Master of Healthcare Innovation, and she is currently completing a Master of Science in Clinical Research Management with a focus on regulatory science. Her work bridges clinical operations, research administration, and program development to advance evidence-based approaches that expand treatment access and strengthen integrated models of care for individuals living with substance use disorders.