About the Evaluator
Before founding Edstar Analytics in 1999, I taught middle school math and reading, mathematics at Waubonsee Community College, Northern Illinois University, and North Carolina State University, and worked in the research and evaluation department of a large school district. I have a strong background in education and statistics. That foundation shapes how I design studies. I do not evaluate alone. Edstar is a full-service firm with evaluators, statisticians, data managers, qualitative analysts, instrument developers, and IT staff to make sure our clients get the right specialist for each phase.
My portfolio spans community colleges, HBCUs, minority-serving institutions, K–12 districts, informal science settings, and non-profits. My evaluation reports have twice received AERA Division H First Place Outstanding Instructional Research awards.
I am CITI-certified in Human Subjects Research and IPS for Researchers. I partner with principal investigators as a collaborator, helping shape the theory of change, building measurement early, and delivering actionable findings throughout the grant rather than only at the end.
Evaluation Background
I specialize in...
- Qualitative methods
- Quantitative methods
- Mixed methods
- Participatory evaluation approaches
- Utilization-focused evaluation
I have worked with projects in the areas of:
- ATE projects
- NSF projects other than ATE (e.g., IUSE, S-STEM, AISL, HSI, ADVANCE)
- Projects at two-year colleges
- STEM education projects supported by funder other than NSF
Training and Certifications
- Professional development workshops, webinars, or online courses on evaluation
Outside of Work, I enjoy...
…gardening, kayaking, and traveling. I also tutor elementary school students in math and reading. It keeps me connected to the classroom where my career began.
A Successful Evaluation...
…delivers actionable information that helps program staff improve their work, meets funder accountability requirements, equips them to communicate their activities and impact to stakeholders, and documents outcomes that strengthen future funding applications.
My Working Style...
…is collaborative and responsive. I partner with PIs from grant writing through final report, build measurement in from the start, deliver findings throughout the project rather than only at the end, and translate complex data into clear, usable information.
EvaluATE is supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 2332143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this site are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.