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. Ali is a seasoned education evaluation and research leader. As a research analyst and branch chief for the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, she designed and led large-scale mixed-methods implementation and impact studies. These included studies of educator preparation and development programs, educator performance evaluation systems, postsecondary access strategies, and career pathways programming for youth and adults.

Meredith is an accomplished education research scientist, policy analyst, and behavioral psychologist. She has over 15 years of experience designing policy relevant studies using a range of methods, including large-scale nationally representative surveys, randomized controlled trials, and other techniques to evaluate implementation and impact.

She excels at translating complex data into clear action oriented findings and presenting findings through accessible presentations and written products. Her content expertise includes school choice policies and programs, accountability, information dissemination, and family engagement.

Laura is a social policy scholar with wide-ranging interests in U.S. domestic policy and particular interests in sometimes hard-to-identify populations (immigrant communities, LGBTQ+ individuals). She has training in causal inference and demography, as well as extensive expertise working with large-scale administrative data. She also has a long-time interest in collaborating with state agencies and non-profits. She has a B.A. in History and English from Rice University, a MPA from Indiana University-Bloomington, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy from Duke University.

I am an experienced Web Producer/Accessibility professional with a strong background in accessibility, content management, and digital operations. My specialities include building and managing responsive web pages, ensuring 508-compliant web experiences, and coordinating cross-functional teams. With over a decade of hands-on production and QA experience, I bring a detail-oriented approach to building, maintaining, and optimizing websites that meet both user needs and organizational goals.

Aubrey Brooke has over 20 years of experience designing and developing responsive web applications as a Senior UI/UX Product Designer, specializing in user-centered solutions that resonate with target audiences. Expertise includes leveraging data, user research, and empathy to craft intuitive, engaging, and accessible digital experiences. Proficient in visual design, research, development, and interactivity, with strong leadership skills in guiding teams to successful project outcomes.

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.

Experienced mathematical statistician with a wide range of research and analytic skills. In-depth experience with all aspects of survey research, including conceptual development, survey design management, and quantitative data analysis using appropriate statistical methodology. Specific expertise in data confidentiality and statistical disclosure limitation procedures. Effective written and oral communication skills.

Experienced in federal data reporting, data analysis and visualization, research design, and cross-agency collaboration to improve education data systems.

Most recently, at NCES, Chen-Su served as the Survey Director for the Common Core of Data (CCD) Nonfiscal, leading efforts to collect, validate, and release national K–12 education data. She played a key role in modernizing EDFacts data quality checks and supported interagency coordination to improve reporting efficiency. Her work integrates strong technical skills in SAS, SPSS, Excel, and Tableau with a deep commitment to making complex education data accessible and actionable for policymakers, researchers, and the public.

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.

Experienced in team leadership, project management, oral and written presentation, recruitment and outreach, Elise brings passion and focus to her projects.

Most recently, at NCES, Elise managed six simultaneous large, nationally representative longitudinal studies of high schoolers into adulthood, resulting in the release of over 10 national-level datasets of survey and administrative data with supporting documentation and supplementary tables. Every product release was on-budget and on-schedule, meeting Congressional mandates for NCES data release and NCES Standards for high data quality.

Dr. Clark has 15 years of experience designing and managing research projects in the federal government, academia, and the non-profit sector. She excels at manipulating and analyzing large, complex data sets, as well as translating complicated findings for non-technical audiences. Most recently, she served as a statistician for the Crime and Safety Surveys Program at the National Center for Education Statistics.