Aida Ali Akreyi is a research and data strategy expert with over a decade of experience in federal data collection, institutional research, and education policy. Most recently, she served as Statistician and IPEDS Operations Lead at the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, where she directed national postsecondary data collection, compliance, and reporting initiatives, ensuring data integrity, accessibility, and usability. Aida brings deep expertise in leading large-scale research projects, developing performance metrics, and translating complex data into actionable insights for policymakers, institutional leaders, and the public. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Policy from the University of California, Riverside, and is passionate about using data to inform systems change and expand opportunity.

Dr. Alka Arora is a researcher and psychometrician with more than 25 years of experience in K–12 STEM assessment, measurement, and data analysis across the major national and international studies, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and TIMSS Advanced, and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Her work centers on the content and framework side of large-scale assessment — assessment design, framework and standards-alignment studies, item and scoring-guide review, and the cross-assessment comparisons that allow NCES to interpret and report U.S. results in an international context. She brings particular depth in mathematics and science content, constructed-response scoring, and standard-setting.
Most recently, Dr. Arora spent more than a decade as a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), supporting the NAEP assessment development program through development plans, assessment design, item and framework review, and small-scale investigations to support assessment quality, alongside reviews of NAEP results, snapshots, and state and TUDA reporting. She conducted multiple framework and item comparisons among TIMSS, NAEP, and PISA to identify how the assessments’ constructs align and differ, and served as lead mathematics content expert for the 2023 Maryland College and Career Readiness Empirical Study. Earlier, over nearly a decade at Boston College’s TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center — as Researcher, TIMSS Advanced Project Coordinator, and Assistant Research Director — she coordinated the development of TIMSS, TIMSS Advanced, and TIMSS Numeracy frameworks, achievement tests, background questionnaires, and scoring rubrics, and served as a liaison among study directors, participating countries, and the international research community.
Dr. Arora holds a Ph.D. in Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation from Boston College and began her career as a secondary STEM teacher. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a certified reviewer under the What Works Clearinghouse 5.0 group-design standards, and is a member of AERA, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the Comparative and International Education Society. Her published scholarship includes work on student misconceptions in physics and mathematics drawn from TIMSS data and a comparison of the Next Generation Science Standards with the NAEP frameworks.

Experienced leader in large-scale assessment and psychometrics with over 25 years specializing in educational measurement, statistical analysis, and data-driven reporting. Recognized for managing complex national and international assessment programs and coordinating cross-functional teams through all phases of test development, validation, administration, and analysis. Adept at translating sophisticated data into actionable insights and effectively communicating results to all.

I’m an Education Researcher fueled by a passion for improving the lives of young children and their families through thoughtful, data-driven change. I believe that when research is done well—and shared wisely—it can elevate entire systems of early childhood education and care. My work centers on uncovering what works, for whom, and why, using rigorous program evaluation and applied research to guide practice and policy.

Across federal, state, and local departments of education, foundations, and nonprofit organizations, I’ve collaborated with diverse teams to design evaluations, develop assessments, and build evidence that informs strategy. Whether managing a national study, advising on state policy, or crafting insights for practitioners, I strive to make complex information useful and actionable for those shaping the field.

My approach blends strategic thinking with creativity, problem-solving, and a deep commitment to equity. I led project and staff management for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS), ensuring high-quality results and timely deliverables. I’ve provided technical assistance to Chicago Public Schools, supported content alignment for Oklahoma’s Early Learning Inventory, and helped refine training and assessment protocols across multiple states. My work with the Birth through Eight Strategy for Tulsa enhanced data quality through improved protocols.

Globally, I’ve represented U.S. perspectives in shaping the International Early Learning Study (IELS), overseeing a national pilot and facilitating key conversations with NAEYC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Throughout, I’ve remained focused on making data meaningful—refining instruments, translating findings for broad audiences, and building bridges between research and practice.

At the heart of my work is a belief: that data, when centered on real people and real needs, can be a powerful tool for advancing opportunity and equity. I’m here to help organizations take the next best step for the children and families they serve.

Dr. Rebecca Hinze-Pifer is an education researcher and former classroom teacher whose work closes the gap between rigorous evidence and actionable insight for education leaders. Over more than a decade of district-partnered research, she has led multi-year evaluations of major reforms in Chicago Public Schools including the removal of police officers from schools, alternative high school transfer policy, and the effects of community violence on student outcomes, briefing district leadership and reaching public audiences through the Chicago Tribune, Chalkbeat, and WBEZ. She has directed randomized controlled trials of school-based social-emotional interventions in the United States and internationally, including a 30-school RCT in El Salvador presented to the World Bank and USAID. Her methodological toolkit spans causal inference, longitudinal and geospatial data integration, and mixed-methods design, with particular interests in school discipline and safety, teacher retention, and K–12 administrative data. She has served on the faculty of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she taught doctoral quantitative methods, and holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago — having started out, improbably, in astrophysics.

Bridge builder, coordinating multiple partner teams on driving scalable, evidence-based solutions. Manage complex projects, supervising teams and aligning protocols with regulatory and compliance standards. Translate data into actionable insights, and foster collaboration across mission-driven organizations and clients. Adaptable, detail-oriented, and proactive, with strong track record in relationship-building, seeking feedback, and analytical thinking. Passionate about data quality, staff development, creating innovative tools, delivering measurable outcomes, strengthening programs and informing policy.

Lisa Kessler is an experienced Education Research Analyst with a strong track record in school recruitment for large-scale national studies. She excels at building relationships with states, districts and schools, navigating complex approval processes, and meeting ambitious participation goals. With a Master of Education and a data-driven mindset, she translates recruitment outcomes into actionable insights to inform project strategies. Lisa is passionate about using research to elevate student outcomes and ensure diverse voices are represented in education studies.

Shannon Russell is a versatile education researcher, specializing in motivation and cognitive development in children and adolescents. With demonstrated success in client and project management, and expertise in survey methodology, cognitive assessments, and data analysis, she promotes processes and decision-making that lead to high-quality data. As a team leader she fosters professionalism, collaboration, and high-quality work within a positive, supportive environment.

For over 10 years, Dr. Russell provided expert technical support for multiple National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) longitudinal studies including the HS&B:22, HSLS:09, ECLS-K:2024, and MGLS:2017.

I’m a Researcher with over two decades of experience designing, implementing, and analyzing large-scale education assessments. My work focuses on uncovering meaningful patterns in student learning—across countries, cultures, and contexts—through rigorous data collection and thoughtful analysis.

At the American Institutes for Research (AIR), I collaborated with federal agencies and partner organizations on the U.S. implementation of PISA, a global assessment of student literacy conducted in over 80 countries. This experience deepened my understanding of how school systems and cultural factors shape educational outcomes, and strengthened my ability to translate complex data into practical, evidence-based takeaways. I’ve led technical reviews, managed sensitive student data, and supported the development of high-quality publications under tight deadlines. Beyond analysis, I’ve guided dissemination efforts through in-depth statistical reports, tailored presentations, media briefings, and practitioner-friendly briefs. I also spearheaded the RISE webinar series, which highlights global education research and encouraged dialogue across policy, practice, and research communities.

I’ve always loved the mix of precision, analysis, and people in my work—whether I’m refining survey tools, exploring complex datasets, or mentoring junior staff. I care deeply about making data clear and useful, and I bring empathy and attention to detail to every aspect of the process. Years of remote collaboration have also sharpened my ability to stay organized, meet tight deadlines, and stay connected across teams and time zones.

I’ve seen how much we can learn from different education systems—whether across countries or across states—by comparing student and school-level factors like motivation, instructional methods, and learning environments. Rigorously designed assessments don’t just measure what students know; they help us understand how students learn and grow. I’m committed to using research to shape smarter education policies and create more equitable opportunities for all learners.

Emmanuel Sikali spent twenty years at the National Center for Education Statistics, most recently as Acting Chief of the Assessments Division’s Reporting and Dissemination Branch, where he led the team responsible for releasing NAEP results. He served as federal project officer for EdSurvey, the open-source R package suite used internationally to analyze NAEP, TIMSS, PIAAC, and ECLS data, and founded the first federal center for process data — the time-stamped record of how students interact with digital assessments. He directed NCES’s annual training program for secondary analysts and led the agency’s work applying generative AI to assessment reporting and scoring. He has advised education ministries in Zambia and South Africa, taught graduate statistics and econometrics at George Washington University, and holds a Ph.D. from George Mason University.