Photo of David McCarty Caplan and Meet an Evaluator logo
Q: In your view, what makes a successful evaluation?
A: A successful evaluation centers the lived realities of participants, fosters organizational learning, and offers data-informed insights that are actually used. I believe evaluation should not just assess impact—it should help organizations become more equitable, responsive, and effective. For me, success means that the evaluation process clarifies purpose, improves practice, and equips stakeholders with the knowledge they need to sustain or scale what works.
Q: What evaluation approaches inform your practice? Do you gravitate more toward quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods?
A: My practice is rooted in culturally responsive and equity-focused evaluation, guided by the belief that no single method fits every context. I employ both quantitative and qualitative approaches, often integrating them in mixed-methods designs—but I always begin by understanding the project’s goals, stakeholders, and cultural dynamics. I believe the most effective evaluation method is the one that best fits the unique questions, community, and purpose of a given initiative. Whether through surveys, interviews, focus groups, or institutional data analysis, my goal is to generate insights that are relevant, respectful, and actionable for those involved.
Q: Tell us about a particularly fulfilling evaluation project you’ve been involved in. What makes it stand out to you?
A: At Cal State Northridge, I led a multi-year evaluation of Student Success Initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for first-generation, transfer, and historically marginalized students. The evaluation engaged over 3,000 students through pre- and post-surveys, as well as institutional data collection. We found that participation in these initiatives significantly increased students’ sense of belonging—an outcome strongly tied to academic motivation and confidence. What made this work so fulfilling was not just the scale or rigor of the project, but the fact that our findings directly informed how the college restructured student support programs to serve those who commonly face significant challenges in higher education.
Q: Why did you become an evaluator? 
A: As a Colombian adoptee raised in a Jewish American family, I’ve lived the complexity of navigating multiple identities within systems that were not always designed to support belonging or success. These experiences shaped my understanding of how deeply identity, access to support, and institutional responsiveness influence educational and life outcomes. Throughout my academic career—as both a student and professor—I’ve seen how transformative higher education can be when systems work well, and how harmful it can be when they don’t. I became an evaluator to help institutions ask better questions, center equity, and improve the quality of programs designed to serve students. Evaluation allows me to merge my commitment to justice with the tools of research to make meaningful change possible.
Q: How do you build trust with projects you’re evaluating?
A: Trust begins with transparency and shared purpose. I work collaboratively with clients from the start—clarifying goals, identifying stakeholder needs, and co-developing evaluation tools. I also recognize that trust grows through culturally respectful practices: understanding power dynamics, honoring community knowledge, and being accountable. Regular communication, thoughtful reporting, and mutual learning are core to my process.

About the Authors

David McCarty-Caplan

David McCarty-Caplan

Director of Research & Evaluation, McCaplan Consulting Group

David McCarty-Caplan, PhD, is a researcher, evaluator, and consultant with over 12 years of experience conducting mixed-methods studies and program evaluations that support educational innovation, workforce development, and institutional equity. Holding a PhD in Social Work with a focus on organizational and educational analysis, David brings deep expertise in evaluating the effectiveness of curricula, institutional development initiatives, and student success. David supports colleges, schools, and community-based organizations in designing and assessing strategies that improve access, learning outcomes, and institutional impact. He specializes in translating complex data into actionable insights that inform program design, policy, and practice. As a culturally responsive evaluator, David is excited to support ATE-funded programs in advancing technician education, particularly through inclusive evaluation approaches that strengthen faculty-driven innovation, student success, and industry alignment.

Email View Contributions
Creative Commons

Except where noted, all content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Related Blog Posts

National Science Foundation Logo 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.