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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

Jared Coopersmith (PhD) is a statistician with 19 years of experience focusing on survey research, statistical sample designs and weighting, report writing, and evaluation design. His most recent role was Chief Statistician for the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, leading a team of statisticians to develop complex sampling and weighting designs to meet specific client needs. Outside of his KnowledgePanel work, he also participated in developing proposals and led sampling and weighting for large-scale projects. This included the nonresponse bias analysis and weighting for the US Department of Transportation 2022 National Household Transportation Survey.
Prior to his work at Ipsos he was a Senior Statistician at Mathematica, where he led the sample design and implementation for multiple large scale survey e􀆯orts for the US Department of Education, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and non-profit clients like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Much of this work involved extensive sample frame construction, and utilized complex, multi-stage sample selection to achieve precision targets and supporting analytic goals.
Dr Coopersmith also had extensive experience with evaluation design at Mathematica and co-led an evaluation of prior authorization for non-emergent ambulatory transportation for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, which identified significant cost savings with little impact on beneficiary health. Along with other colleagues he also co-authored several papers examining the ability of non-experimental methods to replicate experimental findings. Before joining Mathematica in 2012, Dr Coopersmith was an associate research scientist at the National Center for Education Statistics, overseeing two rapid turnaround survey systems.

Bruce Daniel has spent more than 30 years supporting the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) secondary longitudinal studies program, with continuous engagement across every major study cohort from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS:72) through the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), and including the HS&B:2022 re-collection. His work centers on the data-quality and data-review functions that translate raw study collections into trustworthy public-use and restricted-use products — composite variable design and review, imputation methodologies, weighting checks, and final reviews of files, data-tool products, and user documentation against NCES standards. He brings particular depth in high school transcript data, course taxonomies, and postsecondary transcript data.
Most recently, Bruce served as Senior Data Analyst at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), supporting the IES PRESTO Longitudinal Studies Branch Support Contract. Earlier roles at Sanametrix, the National Institute of Statistical Sciences, and Kforce Government Solutions extended his expertise across multiple generations of NCES longitudinal-study designs, including the cleansing and reformatting of the complete 1980–1992 HS&B:80 sophomore-cohort longitudinal file into a single user-friendly product. He is a co-author of NCES publications including comparative analyses spanning the 1980, 1990, and 2002 high school sophomore cohorts, and across his career has contributed to more than a dozen NCES reports on high school coursetaking, transcript outcomes, postsecondary access, and other secondary-longitudinal topics.

As a proficient wrangler of both middle school students and administrative data, Richelle brings a wealth of education knowledge to bear on her work. As the former Branch Chief for the Elementary and Secondary Branch at the National Center of Education Statistics, Richelle’s team oversaw the collection of federal K-12 education data within the EDFacts system. Richelle is an expert in the collection, reporting, and use of high-quality federal administrative education data, particularly special education data. Richelle’s super power, though, is her ability to explain complex data and policy concepts in a manner that non-data folks find accessible and easy to understand.

Kristi is a sociologist with expertise in research design, data analysis, and stakeholder communications. At NCES, she led the Digest of Education Statistics, which is a core statistical reference that covers education topics from early childhood to K-12, post-secondary, and adult outcomes, all across several equity dimensions. Her prior experience includes working with state and local education organizations, including the city of Newark, NJ, and Saint Louis Public Schools, on community-driven research projects. Kristi has more than 10 years of experience with quantitative data analysis and writing for technical and non-technical audiences.

Elizabeth Glennie, Ph.D. has focused on the influence of educational policies on students, teachers, and schools. Her studies primarily explore factors influencing success in secondary school and access and success in postsecondary education, particularly for groups of students who are underrepresented in college. She also examined programs designed to prepare teenagers and adults for employment. In her research, she has analyzed data from federal sources, from states, and from organizations initiating new programs. She develops surveys and interview protocols to gain perspectives of student and teachers participating in innovative programs.

Senior project leader with over 20 years of experience managing federal statistics projects and tasks in both federal and contract settings. Subject matter expertise in high school transcript study analysis and knowledge of various education and health datasets. Expertise in program coordination, statistical analysis, technical writing and editing, and dissemination planning. Experience working in state and local education organizations on K-12 education accountability and performance measures.

Most recently at NCES, Linda served as project leader responsible for leading the U.S. data collection of 2023 International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) as well as the 2019 and 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Studies (HSTS). She presented key findings from the ICILS 2023 U.S. Highlights Report to staff from the Secretary of Education, White House, and Congressional offices and the 2019 NAEP HSTS Results at several National Assessment Governing Board meetings. In addition, she oversaw the development of various presentations, briefing books and press releases, and led in preparing for the NCES Commissioner’s media briefing, resulting in useful and policy-relevant national media coverage. She managed the restart of the NAEP HSTS and established policies and procedures for a new middle school transcript data collection. Early in her career, she conducted statistical analysis using SAS, SUDAAN, and Wesvar for a variety of private organizations looking at national health metrics and developed database applications for collecting data.

Linda also has considerable federal acquisition and contract experience working with program leaders and contract officers to manage the First International Consolidated National Contract for three international studies, and Education Statistics Service Institute Network (ESSIN) and Procurement of Research Evaluation and Statistics (PRESTO) task orders. She led in developing solicitations for and rewarding several of these task orders, reviewed contract proposals, monitored contract performance and budgets, and prepared contract modifications.

Dr. Claire Han is a researcher and with expertise in meta-analysis and systematic review. She is passionate about communicating meta-analytic results to practitioners and policymakers by encouraging understanding without ignoring complexity. Her meta-analysis application, MyEducationResearcher, aims to democratize evidence in education by making meta-analysis affordable and swift. Previously, Dr. Han has worked for the American Institutes for Research, and received her PhD in Education from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Han’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation; Society for Research and Reform in Education, and the Institute of Education Sciences.

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.

Sociologist and social science researcher with extensive experience in quantitative methods, research design, data collection, and reporting. Véronique led the congressionally mandated Condition of Education Report at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for 5 years. In addition to expertise in an expansive catalog of NCES and other federal data, this work also required management of a team of contractor employees (from BAs to PhDs), and communication of findings to nontechnical audiences, including briefings to Congress and White House staff. Prior to joining NCES, Véronique worked on projects that involved original data collection using tools like web-scraping (in Python) and survey administration (in Qualtrics).

Dan Kasprzyk spent more than four decades in federal statistics and survey research. He began as a mathematician at the National Security Agency and held positions at the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Census Bureau, where he managed the research and coordination program for the Survey of Income and Program Participation. He spent a decade at the National Center for Education Statistics, first as Chief of the Special Surveys and Analysis Branch and later as Program Director for Sample Survey Studies, directing the Schools and Staffing Survey, the Teacher Follow-Up Survey, the Private School Survey, the National Household Education Survey, and the National Study of Postsecondary Faculty. He went on to serve as Vice President and Managing Director of Surveys and Statistics at Mathematica Policy Research and as Director of the Center for Excellence in Survey Research at NORC at the University of Chicago. A Fellow of the American Statistical Association and an elected member of the International Statistical Institute, he received the ASA Founders Award and served as an ASA Vice President. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematical statistics from George Washington University.

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.

Kristen King is an education data, research, and technical assistance leader with 15 years of experience supporting federal, state, and territorial education agencies. She spent more than a decade with the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences and National Center for Education Statistics, where she served as a federal program officer, project director, and research lead for the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Grant Program. Her work has supported more than 25 state education agencies and their partners across K–12, early childhood, postsecondary education, and workforce systems.

King originated and led the SLDS Capacity Survey, the program’s first standardized national measure of state longitudinal data system capacity, taking the initiative from concept and metric development through OMB clearance, national fielding, analysis, and publication. A through line of her work is translating complex data, research, and policy into clear, compelling stories and actionable guidance for diverse audiences, from researchers and technical teams to practitioners, agency leaders, and policymakers. She brings extensive experience helping states use evidence to understand where they are, communicate what their data reveal, and turn those insights into practical strategies for improving systems and outcomes.

Her experience spans federal program administration, contractor-delivered technical assistance, and direct state and territorial implementation, including leadership of the Virgin Islands Department of Education’s Office of Federal Grants and her current work supervising federal grants management and review for a multi-agency engagement with the Texas Office of the Governor. She holds an M.S. in Government Analytics and Data Science from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

With a background in education research, I have successfully managed projects that bridge the gap between research, practice, and policy. My leadership approach is human-centered, emphasizing quality, equity, and continuous improvement within education systems. I have managed various projects and programs, focusing on team development, quality management, and strategic client engagement.

I have collaborated with cross-functional teams and supported early-career professionals, contributing to the development of systems that enhance research quality and operational efficiency. My skills include data analysis, program evaluation, and technical writing, which enable me to translate complex research findings into practical insights for diverse audiences, including policymakers, funders, practitioners, and community stakeholders.

Using strategic planning and data-driven decision-making to stimulate organizational dynamics and influence scales of effectiveness, Jerry Malitz helps clients successfully launch, analyze, and redesign programs and processes to support data and research priorities. By helping align requirements with client and user needs, by conducting targeted reviews, by developing effective processes, and through targeted training, technical assistance and data coaching, Malitz provides innovative, effective, and timely data and research solutions to clients, their staff, and customers.

At the U.S. Department of Education, Jerry Malitz served in a senior leadership role as the first Chief Information Technology Officer at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). In this role he conceptualized, designed, and implemented information technologies across the Institute. Prior to that he served as the Chief Technology Officer and Webmaster at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), where he was the creative director in spearheading improvements in serving the needs of customers, management, and staff through the NCES website. Before taking those positions at IES and NCES, Malitz was responsible for the initial development of the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the Course Classification System, the Student and the Staff Data Handbooks for Elementary, Secondary, and Early Childhood Education. He led the Migrant Student Record Exchange Task Force, and he was the U.S. Department of Education’s project director for the SPEEDE/ExPRESS project as well as managing several surveys including NPSAS, IPEDS, and VEDS.

Mr. Malitz has produced several books, videos, and training sessions on data use and on the use of technology in education, and he has designed numerous applications for the dissemination and collection of information through the web.

Mr. Malitz continues to work with federal agencies, associations, State Education Departments, and postsecondary institutions, designing research approaches, putting the proper data tools at the disposal of education practitioners, and providing instruction on how to best use them to inform decision-making.

Experienced in project coordination, stakeholder collaboration, data reporting, technical writing and editing, and strategic planning. Lydia has over 10 years of experience leading large-scale international assessments and both qualitative and quantitative education research projects, managing interactive data tools, and translating complex findings into clear, actionable insights.

Most recently at NCES, Lydia served as the U.S. Study Director and National Research Coordinator for the 2019 and 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In December 2024, Lydia presented key findings from the TIMSS 2023 U.S. Highlights Report to the Secretary of Education, White House staff and Congressional offices. In addition, she prepared presentations and press releases and led preparation for the NCES Commissioner’s media briefing, resulting in accurate and impactful national media coverage.

Michael McGarrah is a social science researcher and policy strategist with 15 years of experience leading research and consulting projects across government, academia, think tanks, advocacy organizations, and nonprofit research institutes. His work focuses on translating rigorous, policy-relevant research into actionable insights that improve systems, advance opportunity, and support healthy human development.

Michael combines deep methodological expertise with an unusually broad cross-sector perspective. He has led large national surveys at the U.S. Department of Education, conducted program evaluations for U.S. and international school systems and NGOs, advised philanthropic foundations, consulting firms, and advocacy coalitions, taught graduate-level social science courses at Harvard, and instructed bilingual middle and high school students across multiple subjects in Spain as a Fulbright Scholar. This diverse experience enables him to understand the priorities and language of stakeholders at every level—from federal agencies and state/local policymakers to program managers, educators, and community members—and to communicate research findings in a way that informs action and drives impact across education, public health, criminal justice, and workforce development initiatives.

As the Study Director for the Crime and Safety Surveys Program, as well as a statistician and Contracting Officer’s Representative at the National Center for Education Statistics, Michael oversaw a $30 million federal research portfolio of complex sample surveys and managed a team of 25+ researchers and policy analysts. He led partnerships with the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Justice, managed large-scale data collection efforts on school crime, bullying, student safety, and substance use, and piloted methodological innovations including web-scraping and AI-based surveillance of emergency school closures and school shootings. He is also a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University, where he studies early risk factors for youth substance abuse and delinquency.

Michael’s technical toolkit spans experimental and quasi-experimental design, causal inference, mixed-methods program evaluation, and psychometrics. He has extensive experience using Stata, R, Mplus, NVivo, and Tableau, and has led or advised evaluations of educational interventions, youth mental health programs, social-emotional learning, and career pathway initiatives in both U.S. and global contexts. He specializes in designing and implementing studies that balance scientific rigor with practical constraints—producing findings that are not just valid, but usable.

His content expertise spans the full arc of human development—from infancy and early childhood through adolescence and adulthood—with particular depth in the areas of social-emotional learning and “soft” or “non-cognitive” skill development, youth substance abuse prevention, school safety and juvenile justice, career pathways, and higher education administration and policy. He holds a PhD in Human Development from Harvard, where his dissertation focused on identifying profiles of developmental risk for youth substance abuse to inform early intervention. He also earned a Credential of Business Readiness from Harvard Business School and a teaching certificate from the Harvard Bok Center for Teaching and Learning.

Whether designing large-scale evaluations, advising on survey methods, or helping organizations clarify and communicate their impact, Michael brings a systems-focused, human-centered approach to his work. He thrives in projects that demand both technical precision and thoughtful translation—connecting data to real-world decision-making to help programs and policies better serve the people they’re meant to support.

Experienced in research design, project management, and evaluating school-based interventions in K-12 settings.

Michelle has worked as an evaluator for multiple classroom intervention programs using qualitative and quantitative methods. Most recently, Michelle served as the Survey Director for the National Household Education surveys program at NCES which collected information on parents’ involvement in their children’s schooling and use of child care.

Dr. Kavemuii Murangi is a seasoned education leader with more than 20 years of experience managing large-scale assessment, data collection, professional development, and organizational effectiveness. At Westat, he directed the NAEP High School Transcript Study, co-led the NAEP Support and Service Center, and served as Training and Quality Assurance Director—overseeing stakeholder engagement and national data efforts in collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination.

As HSTS Project Director, Dr. Murangi led recruitment, data collection, transcript coding and analysis, web-based reporting, and the development of technical documentation. As Co-Project Director of the NAEP Support and Service Center, he oversaw a national infrastructure designed to train and support NAEP coordinators in state and district agencies—guiding more than 80 coordinators through technical assistance, professional learning, and program oversight to ensure successful implementation of NAEP across the country. In his role as Training and Quality Assurance Manager, he spearheaded the development of learning management systems and professional development programs that strengthened assessment literacy and operational performance nationwide.

Dr. Murangi’s expertise includes risk mitigation, accountability, and interdisciplinary collaboration, with a proven ability to guide teams and manage complex projects with precision and purpose. His earlier roles at the Arizona Department of Education and Windhoek College of Education reflect a deep commitment to equity, reform, and data-informed decision-making.

At the Arizona Department of Education, Dr. Murangi served as an Education Program Specialist and Interim State Assessment Director, supporting key initiatives in standards development, performance benchmarking, and assessment administration—including scoring, reporting, and outreach. He also oversaw Arizona’s administration of NAEP, strengthening federal-state collaboration and large-scale logistics. He holds a Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Teaching from Columbia University and is certified to teach Social Studies and Political Science in Maryland.

Since 2015, David Richards worked as a study director at the National Center for Education Statistics, in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences, with responsibility for large, nationally-representative postsecondary sample survey studies.

I specialize in education research studies by guiding diverse teams of programmers and analysts through the entire research lifecycle. My skills include designing and implementing complex data processing systems, programming custom solutions, and executing procedures for data cleaning and editing, reporting, analytic variable derivation, data matching, and data dissemination. I specialize in managing technical operations for education research, leading business development initiatives, establishing rigorous quality control standards for consistency and accuracy, and fostering collaboration through cross-team events to enhance partnerships and drive innovation.

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.

Charles is a higher education researcher interested in the areas of college access and success of underrepresented and historically excluded students.

Most recently, he served as a research associate for the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government where he conducted descriptive and inferential research to measure and contextualize outcomes of the nursing student pipeline within the University System of Georgia. Previously, he served as associate study director for several nationally representative longitudinal sample studies of high school students, at the National Center for Education Statistics. His prior experience also includes research roles at the Institute for Higher Education Policy, as well as the American Council on Education, and for college access organizations including the Georgia College Advising Corps. In each role he worked with collaborative teams to distill complex education issues, data, and research, for technical and non-technical audiences.

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.

Senior education data systems and data standards leader with 14+ years of experience directing cross-functional teams and multi-agency initiatives at federal and state levels. Expert in all phases of longitudinal data system development including data governance framework creation, stakeholder engagement strategy, data quality management, practical data use implementation, and sustainability planning. Strong track record of successfully leading collaborative efforts across government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations to build systems that support evidence-based decision making. Skilled at developing comprehensive technical assistance programs that transform technical data requirements into practical, sustainable solutions to improve outcomes across education, workforce, and social service sectors.

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.

Tom Snyder served as Project Director for an AIR Equity Initiative grant on Promoting Equity Funding for Schools Facing Adverse Health Circumstances and Project Director for the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Analytical and Technical Support Services IDIQ. Snyder served as an internal AIR consultant on topics related to the appropriate use and availability of data on all education levels, with specialized expertise in the use of historical data, racial/ethnic data, and statistical programming. Snyder also directed or assisted on dozens of AIR contract and grant proposals. Previously, Snyder served as Director of the Annual Reports and Information Staff at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). He has decades of NCES experience in analyzing data directing analyses and reviewing reports, studies, data sets, and survey documents. Snyder has been an author or project director for about 100 reports and papers and conducted briefings and made presentations in a wide variety of formats. Snyder is an internationally recognized expert on education indicators.

Maura Spiegelman is a survey methodologist with more than 15 years of experience in social science research. She served as the Study Director for the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) for nearly 10 years, a system of interrelated surveys of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers. She has extensive experience in all aspects of survey data collection, including questionnaire development, designing data collection protocols, data processing and weighting, analysis, and rigorous documentation. Her research includes innovations to increase survey response rates while lowering respondent burden. This includes using extant data and commercial data, utilizing new survey and communication modes, and testing incentives and contact materials. She holds a PhD in survey methodology from the University of Maryland.

Nicole Tate, Ph.D. is a expert education researcher with over 20 years of experience leading projects, data collections, and program evaluations for clients large and small. Her pedagogical expertise, technical writing skills, collaborative spirit, innovative approach, and deep knowledge of ethical research methods contribute to her expertise in providing technical assistance, conducting evaluations, and overseeing data collections to advance education research and improve education for all. She earned a BA in International Politics from Penn State University and a Ph.D. in Educational Research and Policy Analysis from North Carolina State University.