Meet the Team
Title: President
Trained as a developmental psychologist
Joined the team when she started conducting independent evaluations in 2007, and then “for reals” when she incorporated in 2010
Professional superpowers include project management, creative solutions for collecting data, writing
Hidden talents include making homemade gift towers of treats for the holidays, surprisingly good at a sack race
Regina Ayala Chavez, MA
Title: Research Associate
Trained as a physicist, engineer, evaluator, and researcher
Joined the team in 2022 to start pursuing her career ambitions to evaluate informal learning projects, while continuing her PhD in learning and teaching in STEM education
Professional superpowers include qualitative and quantitative data analysis, bilingual English/Spanish speaker
Hidden talents include crochet and sudoku lover, was a professional dancer
Allison Black-Maier, PhD
Title: Research Associate
Trained as a cognitive psychologist
Joined the team in 2020 to help lead the NSF INCLUDES SEAS Islands Alliance and now manages multiple projects, especially those that include fancy databases
Professional superpowers include project management, data wrangling
Hidden talents include solving a Rubik’s cube, pretty good at word games like Scrabble, Boggle, and Spelling Bee
Veronica Del Bianco, PhD
Title: Contributor
Other gig: Environment Program Instructor at Loyola University New Orleans
Trained as: an environmental biologist and science education program evaluator
Joined the team as a consultant in 2023
Professional superpowers include project management, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, thought partner
Hidden talents include knitting and racing sailboats
Title: Contributor
Primary gig is Senior Research Associate at ETR Services, LLC
Trained as a sociologist with specialization in class, race, and gender inequalities
Joined the team in 2015 to manage data collection across the statewide NC Science Festival, which then turned into an annual gig and then turned into being a regular contributor across the board
Professional superpowers include data collection and analysis; writing; thought-partnering; problem-solving
Hidden talents include underwater ocean photography, vegan chili chef and connoisseur, can “pssp pssp pssp” a cat from 100 yards away
Maren Harris, Ed. M.
Title: Contributor
Trained as a researcher, evaluator, policymaker, strategic planner, and teacher
Joined the team as a contractor in 2012 to oversee data collection with teachers in her home state of New Jersey, and has since consistently worked with the company on a range of projects based around the country
Professional superpowers include data collection and analysis, co-interpretation, report writing, research
Hidden talents include Broadway aficionado, Francophile, queen of (very homemade-looking) themed birthday cakes
Title: Contributor
Trained as a developmental psychologist
Joined the team as a consultant in 2008 to collect data from festival-goers in her home state of California, and has worked for the company every year since on a range of projects based around the country
Professional superpowers include project management including data collection, qualitative and quantitative data analysis and report writing
Hidden talent includes making a delicious fruit smoothie from the oranges grown in her backyard
Title: Editor
Trained as a primatologist
Joined the team in 2015 to edit academic manuscripts, and now edits all proposals, reports, and manuscripts
Professional superpowers include spotting anomalies
Hidden talent includes finding an alto harmony to almost any melody
Title: Research Associate
Trained as an educational program evaluator
Joined the team in 2018 to help manage the company’s growing portfolio and support quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis
Professional superpowers include data collection and analysis; thought partner
Hidden talents include classical film aficionado, official family baker for holiday treats
Emily Ortiz Franco, BBA, MEd, MPPEval
Title: Contributor
Trained as a business consultant, educational researcher and evaluator, and public policy evaluator
Joined the team in March 2023, to collaborate on multi-site projects in the Caribbean
Professional superpowers include strategic planning, instrument development and validation, statistical analysis, and database management
Hidden talents include pretty good at Tetris (completed level 40!) and finding travel deals
Jane Robertson Evia, PhD
Title: Senior Research Associate
Primary gig is Statistics Professor at Virginia Tech
Trained as an educational psychologist and statistician
Joined the team as a graduate student summer assistant in 2011 and has since served as a key thought partner, analyst, and data visualizer
Professional superpowers include data visualization, science communication, data analysis
Hidden talents include making a mean mac-and-cheese, holding a plank pose for more than 2 minutes
Tanisha Tate Woodson, PhD
Title: Contributor
Trained as a culturally responsive, mixed methods researcher and evaluator
Joined the team in 2023 to support the portfolio of research the team is conducting and to expand my network of researchers and consultants
Professional superpowers include seeing the forest for the trees. In other words, I enjoy looking at the bigger picture and creating a path forward
Hidden talents include playing the saxophone and solving 1,000+ piece puzzles