Adapting for Improvement in Light of COVID-19 I naively said to my family a few weeks ago that I was lucky that my business wouldn’t be affected in the way that so many restaurants and other small businesses are by the pandemic. I couldn’t see then, but it has become incredibly clear since that every… Continue reading Adapting for Improvement in Light of COVID-19
How Muay Thai Helped Me Re-Think Evaluation I’ve been training in Muay Thai (kickboxing) for a few years. I am always learning something new and being pushed outside of my comfort zone … and I love it. However, I am and have always been a perfectionist. It’s something I’ve struggled with my whole life: sometimes,… Continue reading How Muay Thai Helped Me Re-Think Evaluation
Resolving Data Fears in Evaluation I had some great conversations this week with colleagues about establishing a culture of data in organizations and training organizations who are new to evaluation and data. These conversations reminded me about one of my favorite old blog posts, that I originally wrote for the National Association for Family, School, and… Continue reading Resolving Data Fears in Evaluation
My Most Powerful Reads of the Decade I love to read. Curling up with a good book and getting lost in the story for hours is pure bliss for me. Of course, adulthood prevents this from being a regular occurrence, but I still treasure the time I spend reading and the lessons I learn from… Continue reading My Most Powerful Reads of the Decade
What I Learned from a Not-So-Great Year I know I’m in good company when I say that I’m not sad to say goodbye to 2019. I also know that the challenges I faced this year pale in comparison to the experiences of so many others whom I have read or heard about throughout the year.… Continue reading What I Learned from a Not-So-Great Year
Telling Community Stories to Affect Change It’s funny where the most interesting and engaging conversations can happen. At the gym last week, I had a few random, but passionate conversations with other members of the educational (and martial arts!) community about youth experiencing trauma and how it impacts their ability to participate in school, learn… Continue reading Telling Community Stories to Affect Change
Evaluating Our Thanksgiving Dinner This was an unusual Thanksgiving for my family. My parents have always hosted Thanksgiving at their house; it is one of the few family traditions that remains since my Grandma passed away. All was set to continue as usual this year, until last week, when my Grandpa — the effervescent, 89… Continue reading Evaluating Our Thanksgiving Dinner
My Evaluator Identity: Lessons Learned from the Evaluation 2019 Conference In my career, I’ve always identified as an educator first. I have proudly rooted my analytical and consulting practices in my experiences directly serving students, families, schools, and communities. However, as my career and business have evolved, and as I gained the additional identity of… Continue reading My Evaluator Identity: Lessons Learned from the Evaluation 2019 Conference
LeBron’s I Promise School: Addressing Root Causes Most of us have been raised to believe that school is the great equalizer, the ticket to success in life, or the escape from the circumstances into which you were born. For many people, this adage has undoubtedly been true. This principle is what drew me into education… Continue reading LeBron’s I Promise School: Addressing Root Causes
Bill Gates and the Importance of Social Capital My husband and I recently finished watching the new Netflix documentary, Inside Bill’s Brain. We both found Bill Gates’ story to be fascinating and inspiring, impressed by how he and his wife have channeled their intellect, curiosity, and empathy into an idea generation machine — The Bill and Melinda… Continue reading Bill Gates and the Importance of Social Capital