Drawing on 20+ years in evaluation and research, I work alongside communities, non-profits, and academic institutions to reshape social justice work through participatory, inclusive, and equitable evaluation practices. My mission is to make learning and evaluation processes accessible, empowering, and transformative to create lasting impact collaboratively.
Leading an external evaluation for Iona University’s LEXICON Center, funded by the August F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program. This initiative, supported under the Higher Education Act, aims to strengthen teacher preparation at Minority Serving Institutions like Iona University, a Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI). Our evaluation focuses on assessing outcomes and improving program quality to help build a diverse, well-prepared teacher workforce. By supporting research design, data quality, and integration of findings, we aim to help Iona’s efforts to recruit, prepare, and retain teachers equipped to serve underserved students and close achievement gaps in under-resourced schools.
Conducting a formative evaluation for CHFEP Colorado's Structured Literacy Initiative and Reads Tutor Program, focusing on collaboratively developing and piloting a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan. Our goal is to strengthen the organization’s structured literacy efforts by building a responsive, data-informed approach to support impactful learning outcomes.
Collaboratively review IRAP's Theory of Change, design MEL frameworks, and pilot tools.
As evaluators for the Carmel Hill Fund Education Program CO, we support efforts to inspire a love of reading and strengthen literacy among youth in historically underserved urban communities. Our work included a Community Situational Analysis in Southwest Denver to kickstart a collaborative literacy initiative, and we continue to support the growth of a community coalition dedicated to this mission.
Evaluator for the NYC Reads Initiative, a collaborative literacy effort supporting early reading in South Jamaica, East New York, and East Harlem. Responsible for annual monitoring, strategic learning guidance, and documenting the initiative’s growth, including a comprehensive 5-year summative evaluation and an ongoing 10-year impact assessment.
Led a collaborative Theory of Action process for the California Libraries Learn’s Catalyst program, a new leadership development initiative. Our team focused on aligning program goals and strategies to support and empower emerging library leaders across the state.
Led the development of a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan for Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science, supporting their CS Pathways STEM program. Our team collaborated with program staff to create a MEL approach that fosters continuous improvement and enhances educational outcomes for underrepresented youth in STEM.
Since 1980, NAF has partnered with communities, educators, businesses, and nonprofits to improve student outcomes through high school academies and small learning communities. Together, we developed a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) toolkit, piloting it remotely over six months with students at Wenonah High School in Birmingham, Alabama. We provided virtual training to educators across the NAF network to build capacity with the toolkit. We co-led five conference presentations in 2022 and 2023 to share insights and best practices from our work.
Women Creating Change (WCC), established in 1915 as the Women's City Club of New York, partners with underserved women to build the skills and resources needed to advocate effectively for diverse communities across New York City. We led a Developmental Evaluation following WCC's organizational restructuring, using an Action Learning process to provide evaluation and strategic guidance. Working collaboratively with WCC staff and women in the civic engagement programs, we supported the development and piloting of initiatives aimed at empowering participants to become active, informed advocates in their communities.
Partnered with a collaborative network of nonprofits, school districts, universities, and municipal governments, led by Carnegie Mellon University, to develop and fund Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) networks. This initiative aimed to provide free internet connectivity to low-income communities, bridging the digital divide and expanding access to essential online resources for underserved populations.
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) is a Bronx-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering residents through educational and well-being programs from cradle to career. We worked with KHCC to develop and enhance their Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) process using an Empowerment Evaluation approach, strengthening the organization’s capacity to evaluate its impact. Focusing on five youth development programs, we collaborated with staff to co-develop Theories of Action, create evaluation frameworks, and establish a center-wide MEL plan. Through over 18 virtual, interactive workshops with KHCC staff and youth workers, we developed tailored data collection tools, implementation guidance, and analysis and reporting strategies.
MOUSE, Inc. is a national youth development nonprofit that empowers students to create with technology, addressing real-world challenges and fostering meaningful change. Over nearly a decade, we partnered with MOUSE to conduct multiple formative and summative evaluations grounded in its evolving Theory of Action. Together, we developed and refined a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework, co-constructed reliable STEM/STEAM/ICT protocols for MOUSE’s programs, and led extensive mixed-method data collection involving thousands of students and hundreds of educators nationwide. Our evaluations provided actionable insights to support the growth and impact of MOUSE’s initiatives.
Co-facilitated one full-day Theory of Change for nonprofits workshop with Kallick Consulting in New York City.
A Better Jamaica is a community organization dedicated to enriching life in Jamaica, Queens. Using an Empowerment Evaluation approach, we collaborated with the team to co-develop a Theory of Action for the Jamaica Reads program, along with an evaluation framework featuring contextualized narratives to capture program outcomes. Together, we created a simple evaluation plan, including data collection schedules, guidance, analysis instructions, and reporting recommendations. The plan was piloted with A Better Jamaica staff and refined to align with the organization’s values, capacity, and unique information needs.
Chess in the Schools (CIS) offers chess education programs to New York City public school students, fostering critical thinking and academic skills. We conducted a summative evaluation using a mixed-methods approach, collecting and analyzing data from 441 third-grade student surveys across seven schools, attendance records, interviews with ten CIS instructors, and feedback from 26 educators. Our evaluation provided CIS with comprehensive insights into the program’s impact on student engagement and learning outcomes.
Action Evaluation Collaborative (AEC) conducted a Rapid Assessment of Amnesty International USA’s 2018 Write for Rights campaign, which focused on supporting ten women human rights defenders facing threats and unjust imprisonment for their activism. We developed and implemented two surveys with hundreds of campaign participants and non-participants, conducted interviews with external experts, and facilitated two virtual focus groups with participants, as well as a sensemaking workshop with Amnesty staff. Our assessment provided actionable insights to enhance future advocacy efforts.
Served as the external evaluator for an NSF EAGER project focused on refining and studying a framework to integrate computational thinking across subjects in high-poverty elementary schools. The evaluation aimed to assess the effectiveness of strategies designed to embed computational skills into diverse curricula, expanding STEM learning opportunities for underserved students.
Served as an external evaluator for Orbis International, a global nonprofit dedicated to preventing and treating blindness. Provided subject matter expertise and technical guidance to strengthen Orbis's monitoring and evaluation (M&E) efforts, supporting the organization’s mission to expand access to quality eye care worldwide.
Jumpstart is a national early education organization working towards the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. As external evaluators, we reviewed the assessment tools for their 10-week summer program for preschoolers in low-income communities nationwide. Through an in-depth analysis of similar programs and expert consultations, we provided Jumpstart with guidance on selecting new tools to better measure essential outcomes like language and literacy, social-emotional development, and kindergarten readiness.
We co-led a team of experts and graduate students from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) to review and evaluate the UNDP's Project Quality Standards for Programming. Our team examined a representative sample of 425 projects and accompanying documentation to assess adherence to quality standards. We also conducted 14 interviews with UNDP experts worldwide and collected insights from nearly 400 staff members through surveys, providing UNDP with a comprehensive analysis to enhance project quality and alignment with their standards.
We led a three-year action-learning evaluation of the Design League Badge Portfolios project, funded by NSF (Award #1614727). This innovative credentialing initiative aimed to provide underserved youth with a digital platform to showcase their ICT achievements in out-of-school programs, creating a pathway for them to share their skills in ways that resonate with higher education institutions. We facilitated workshops and conducted interviews with project partners and external experts, offering evaluative feedback through quarterly Rapid Feedback memos. These insights informed the development of the program, platform designs, and the project’s toolkit, supporting meaningful recognition for youth accomplishments.
Co-facilitated a full-day interactive workshop focused on exploring power dynamics within international development work. Through hands-on activities, we demonstrated participatory approaches that empower stakeholders and promote equitable engagement in the field.
2021 to Ongoing - TIG Chair
2020 - TIG Co-Chair
2019 - TIG Program Co-Chair
2015 to 2018 Communications Co-Chair
WomenStrong International is a nonprofit consortium supporting vulnerable girls, women, and communities in Haiti, Kenya, Ghana, India, and Washington, DC. Action Evaluation Collaborative (AEC) led a multi-year developmental evaluation using a Participatory Action Learning approach, working closely with WomenStrong and five grantee organizations. Together, we co-developed organization and grantee-level Theories of Action and created Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks. Our team conducted two rounds of site visits, facilitated over 20 focus groups and collaborative sensemaking workshops with grantees and program participants, and provided training on implementing participatory protocols. The evaluation supported grantees in enhancing existing programs and designing new initiatives aligned with the goals of the women and girls they serve.
Futures and Options empowers high school students in New York City with skills and opportunities to explore career paths. Our team led a formative and summative evaluation aligned with the organization’s strategic planning efforts, co-developing a Theory of Action and a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework. We created and implemented validated evaluation protocols tailored to youth, facilitated focus groups with students and board members, and led data analysis and reporting to provide actionable insights that support Futures and Options in advancing their mission.
Action Evaluation Collaborative led a multi-year developmental evaluation for Palm Healthcare Foundation’s Healthier Together initiative, a collective impact effort to enhance quality of life in six neighborhoods across Palm Beach County. This place-based initiative aimed to build community capacity to address health disparities. We co-facilitated over 35 community meetings and workshops with the foundation and participating community-based organizations to co-develop Theories of Action and a comprehensive Learning and Evaluation system. Our team co-designed participatory protocols, provided training for staff and community members, and led collaborative data analysis and sensemaking sessions. The evaluation enabled communities to identify key health priorities, secure project management support, and surface the need for additional training on racial equity and cultural awareness.
Developed a Theory of Action and a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework to support a learning-focused evaluation aimed at exploring and clarifying the goals of digital learning portfolios. This work provided an alternative platform for young people to share their stories and achievements, offering new pathways for self-expression and recognition.
Co-facilitated the development of a Theory of Change for the Omega Women's Leadership Center (OWLC) in partnership with the Research Center for Leadership in Action (RCLA) at NYU Wagner. OWLC is committed to fostering women’s leadership for social action, and our work helped clarify and align the center’s strategic goals to support this mission.
Facilitated a Theory of Action process for the organization's-based after-school Initiative, developed an monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework, and a series of piloted instruments.
The Pinkerton Foundation-funded project to build KHCC's evaluation capacity by facilitating a Theory of Action process for the Teen Center and developing an evaluation framework and a series of data collection tools.
Managed evaluations for a diverse set of programs with Algorhythm, including the NYC Reads Initiative (2014–2018), Nellie Mae Education Foundation (2016–2017), Literacy, Inc. (2014–2018), Girl Scouts USA (2014), and Repair the World (2013–2014). In each project, we led data collection and analysis to provide meaningful insights that supported program growth and impact. We also crafted detailed reports to share findings and guide strategic decisions.
Led multi-year formative evaluations for Emoti-Con!, New York City’s largest showcase celebrating young designers, makers, technologists, and tinkerers who use digital innovation to create positive change. Our evaluations focused on understanding participant experiences and program impact, providing insights to help Emoti-Con! continue inspiring youth to make a difference through technology.
Served as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) for nearly a decade, guiding graduate students in program evaluation and applied research methods. Advised on 15+ capstone projects addressing development challenges across 20+ countries, fostering practical skills and critical thinking to support impactful, real-world solutions.
Through a project funded by the New York Women's Foundation, we supported THE POINT’s evaluation capacity by developing a tailored monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework and creating reliable, externally validated data collection tools. We also provided hands-on evaluation training for staff and youth participants, empowering them to assess and enhance program impact.
Led data collection for a USDA Extension-funded project exploring how school environments impact youth self-efficacy, managed by Dr. Lorraine Maxwell. We coordinated and conducted interviews with middle-school students in New York City public schools to understand their experiences and perspectives. We also worked closely with the NYC Department of Education to access relevant academic and attendance data, enriching the study’s findings.
Supported the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Tobacco Policy Change initiative, a national effort to advance effective tobacco control policies in communities most impacted by tobacco-related harm. We provided targeted data collection assistance and prepared data for the initiative’s final report, contributing insights to help sustain momentum in tobacco control efforts.
Partnered with a collective of New York area foundations - Cricket Island Foundation, Daphne Foundation, New York Foundation, and North Star Fund - to facilitate a capacity-building evaluation workshop
Action Evaluation Collaborative (AEC) is a partnership of individual evaluators, researchers, and organizational strategy consultants who support organizations' growth to advance social justice and social change.
Greater Seattle Area