VIA is a team of experts, dedicated to providing timely and responsive evaluation services

 
 

VIA is a team of experts, dedicated to providing timely and responsive evaluation services

President & Co-Owner

Jessica Weitzel, MPH

Jessica has been doing research and evaluation work in education, social work, public health, and related fields for 15 years. In addition to planning and implementing strategic company initiatives, she oversees all projects and evaluation staff at Via Evaluation. This, along with ongoing professional development, gives her a broad perspective on evaluation methods, purposes, and related topics. She has completed a wide range of projects funded by federal and state governments, foundations, community-based organizations, school districts, and others in a variety of settings. Through this experience, she understands that while common evaluation methods can be applied across projects, each client and project has unique strengths, needs, and contexts that affect the evaluation process, from planning through reporting.

She is driven to provide meaningful, honest, timely information in a way that impacts peoples’ perspectives and actions. Ms. Weitzel is the Program Co-Chair of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) Data Visualization and Reporting group. She also is a member of the United Way ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Research Advisory Committee, and serves in other volunteer roles to share evaluative perspectives. She regularly presents at national and local conferences about evaluation, grants, and data use. She is most satisfied, though, when she works with people in real-world settings, helping them understand and use data to provide high-quality services.

In addition the her evaluation role, Jessica is proud to be co-owner of a [certified WBE] business! As a mother of daughters and a Girl Scout leader, she knows that women business leaders have an important role to play in guiding the next generation of socially responsible entrepreneurs.

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association
Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness
Grant Professionals Association
National AfterSchool Association
AfterSchool Works New York

Education

• MPH Behavioral Science and Health Education: Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
• BA English: State University of New York at Geneseo

Project Experience

• Community-Based Re-entry Programs
• Community Needs Assessment
• Coordinated School Health
• Dual Language/Two-Way Bilingual Education
• Evaluation Capacity Building
• Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention
• Full Service Community Schools
• Out-of-School Time Programs
• School Climate
• Reproductive Health Education
• Teacher Training and Development
• Youth Risk Behavior and other Survey analysis and reporting

Formal Training

• Racial Equity Impact Analysis, Scrum Basics for Nonprofits, 2020
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: Results Count Leadership Training, 2017
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Conducting Successful Evaluation Surveys, 2017
• Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness: Cost Analysis for Evaluation in Education, 2016
• American Evaluation Association: Intermediate & Advanced Introduction to GIS in Evaluation eStudy, 2015
• Community Solutions Planning and Evaluation: Program Sustainability Planning, 2014
• American Evaluation Association: Applications of Multiple Regression for Evaluators: Mediation, Moderation, and More, 2013
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Linking Evaluation Questions to Analysis Techniques, 2013
• American Evaluation Association: Data Dashboard Design, 2012
• American Evaluation Association – Centers for Disease Control Summer Evaluation Institute, 2012
• American Evaluation Association: Developmental Evaluation for Beginners eStudy, 2012
• American Evaluation Association: Intermediate Consulting Skills, 2011
• American Evaluation Association: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Health and Human Service Programs, 2011
• University at Buffalo: Peer Victimization and Bullying: Research and Prevention Strategies, 2011
• Nonprofit Works: Using Logic Models to Plan Programs and Write Grants, 2011
• Results Based Accountability Training, 2010
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Evaluation Consulting Business Skills, 2009
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Alternative Evaluation Designs, 2009
• The Evaluator’s Institute: The Basics of Program Evaluation, 2007
• American Evaluation Association: Using Systems Tools, 2007
• American Evaluation Association: Using Systems Thinking, 2007

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• What Works Clearinghouse Group Design Standards Training, 2017
• MVP Security Certification, Security Training, 2016
• NIH Human Participants Protection Education for Research Teams
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for Human Research Protection Education
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for HIPAA in Research
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for Data Security in Research
• Green Security, LLC Clearance

Conferences

• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2020
• Grant Professionals Association Conference, 2020
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2019
• New York State Network for Youth Success Conference, 2018
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers New York State Conference, 2018
• Promise Neighborhoods/Community Schools Federal Conference, 2017
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2017
• Grant Professionals Association Conference, 2016
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2016
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2015
• Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2015
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2014
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2013
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2012
• American School Health Association Annual Conference, 2012
• New York State Public Health Association Conference, 2012
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2011
• American School Health Association Annual Conference, 2010
• Community-Based Abstinence Education Grant Conference, 2009
• Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, 2009
• New York State 21st CCLC/ESD Conference, 2009
• New York State 21st CCLC/ESD Conference, 2008
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2007
• New York State 21st CCLC/ESD Conference, 2007

Publications/Presentations

Presentations: Weitzel, J.A., Holbrook, E. (October 2020). Evaluation Planning: Helping Clients Stay on that Yellow Brick Road. Grant Professionals Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO.

Weitzel, J.A., Battaglia, M. (April 2018). Grant Writing and Evaluation: A Perfect Pair. New York State Network for Youth Success Annual Conference. Saratoga Springs, NY

Weitzel, J.A., Hagstrom, E. (2018, January). Getting More from Your Data. 21st CCLC Rest of State Resource Center’s Conference. Albany, NY.

Weitzel, J.A. (2017, January). Finding and Incorporating Research to Increase Program Effectiveness. Afterschool Network of Western New York Professional Development Training. Buffalo, NY.

Dickinson, H., Weitzel, J.A. (2016, November). Starting with the End in Mind: Write Better Proposals by Increasing Your Knowledge of Evaluation. Annual Conference of the Grant Professionals Association, Atlanta, GA.

Hubbard, P.H., Weitzel, J.A. (2016, October). Scaling up Your Dataviz. American Evaluation Association (AEA) 2016 Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Weitzel, J.A., Knetsis, K. (2016, October). Designing Evaluations for State and Federal Program Grants. AEA 2016 Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Weitzel, J.A., Taggart C. (2016, April). Crafting a Useful Logic Model. 2016 ASW:NYSAN Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, NY.

Weitzel, J.A., Session Chair. (2015, November). Four Creative Ways to Use Dashboards that You Might Not Have Thought Of. AEA 2015 Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Weitzel, J.A., Taggart, C. (2015, November). Evaluating “Mature” Programs That Aren’t So Mature: Practical and Ethical Implications. AEA 2015 Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Weitzel, J.A., Taggart, C. (2015, October). Make Your Data Work for You. Association of New York State Youth Bureaus Annual Youth Development Training Conference, Niagara Falls, NY.

Weitzel, J.A. Moderator. (2015, March). Innovation Webinar: Digital Storytelling. Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3) Project Webinar

Weitzel, J.A. (2015, January). Time-Saving Tips and Tricks for Low Cost Data Visualization and Reporting. American Evaluation Association Coffeebreak Webinar Series

Weitzel, J.A. (2014, October). Report Whisperer: Tips and Tricks for Low Cost Visualization and Reporting. American Evaluation Association 2014 Annual Conference, Denver, CO.

Bohen, E., Jackson, K., DeGeorge, K., Weitzel, J.A. (2014, October). PBIS Implementation in a Large Urban District. Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention Coordinator Meeting, Albany, NY.

Weitzel, J.A. (2014, May). Tools for Program Sustainability. Michigan AfterSchool Association Summer Summit, East Lansing, MI.

Taggart, C., Weitzel, J.A. (2013, November). Crafting a Useful Logic Model. Child Care Resource Network Annual Conference, Amherst, NY.

Weitzel, J.A., Taggart, C. (2013, October). Don’t Let Your Data be a Doorstop: How to Convey Results for Action. American Evaluation Association 2013 Annual Conference, Washington, DC.

Weitzel, J.A., Session Chair. (2013, October). Successes and Challenges of Educational Evaluation and Evaluation Capacity Building Within an International Context: Governments and Schools in Santiago, Chile Propose to Address School Violence Utilizing National and International Educational, Training, and Evaluation Teams. American Evaluation Association 2013 Annual Conference, Washington, DC.

Weitzel, J.A. (2013, August). Using Piktochart to Create Infographics for Evaluation. American Evaluation Association Coffee Break Webinar

Weitzel, J.A., Howard, C. (2012, October). Innovative Tools for Evaluation Project Management. Presentation at the American Evaluation Association Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Weitzel, J.A., Hagstrom, E. (2012, October). Working with New Grantees. Roundtable presentation at the American Evaluation Association Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Weitzel, J. A., Taggart, C. (2011, November). Dealing with Sensitive Data in Community-based Settings. Presentation at the American Evaluation Association Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California.

Howard, C., Weitzel, J. A. (2011, May). Innovative Tools for Evaluation Project Management. Presentation at the Eastern Evaluation Research Society, Galloway, New Jersey.

Mays, D., Usdan, S., Arriola, KJ, Weitzel, J.A., Bernhardt, J. 2009. Development and Validation of the Retrospective Alcohol Context Scale. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, (35:2), 109-114.

Weitzel, J. A. (2009, May). Using Wireless Handheld Computers and Other Technologies to Reduce the Negative Consequences of Drinking Alcohol. Presentation at the University of New Mexico Community DWI Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Usdan, S., Martin, R.J., Mays, D., Cremeens, J., Jacob-Arriola, K., Aungst-Weitzel, J. & Bernhardt, J. 2008. Self-reported consequences of intoxication among college students: Implications for harm reduction approaches to high-risk drinking. Journal of Drug Education (38:4), 377-387.

Weitzel, J. A., Nochajski, T. H., Coffey, S., Farrell, M. G. 2007. Mental health among suburban drug court participants. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, (33:3), 475-481.

Weitzel, J. A., Bernhardt, J., Usdan, S., Mays, D., Glanz, K. 2007. Using Wireless Handheld Computers and Tailored Text Messaging to Reduce Negative Consequences of Drinking Alcohol. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, (68:4), 534.

Bernhardt, J.M., Usdan, S., Mays, D., Arriola, K.J., McGill, T., Weitzel, J.A., Cremeens, J., Martin, R.J. 2007. Alcohol assessment using wireless handheld computers: A pilot study. Addictive Behaviors (32:12), 3065-3070.

Aungst, J., Nochajski, T.H., and Farrell, M. G. 2006. Assessing mental health in a drug court. [Abstract]. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 30(6), Supplement, P610.

Farrell, M. G., Weitzel, J. A., Nochajski, T. H., Coffey, S. (2006, November). Improving identification and treatment of co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness in therapeutic justice courts. Poster presentation at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Substance Abuse Policy and Research Project Annual Meeting, Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Farrell, M. G., Weitzel, J. A., Nochajski, T. H. (2006, November). Extending the Therapeutic Justice Model to problem gamblers. Poster presentation at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Boston, MA.

Aungst, J., Nochajski, T. H., Farrell, M. G. (2006, June). Assessing mental health in a drug court. Poster presentation at the 29thAnnual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Baltimore, MD.

Koski, G., Aungst, J., Kupersmith, J., Getz, K., Rimoin, D. 2005. Cooperative research ethics review boards—a win-win solution? IRB: Ethics and Human Research, 27(3), 1–7.

Farrell, M. G., Nochajski, T. H., Aungst, J. (2005, November). Characteristics of drug court participants with additional mental health problems. Poster presentation at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Substance Abuse Policy and Research Project Annual Meeting, Tucson, Arizona.

Aungst, J., Bernhardt, J. M., Usdan, S., Mays, D., Glanz, K. (2005, December). Using wireless handheld computers to reduce the negative consequences of drinking alcohol. Oral presentation at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA.

Usdan, S., Aungst, J., Cremeens, J., Martin, R. J., Bernhardt, J. M. (2005, December). Context and consequences of heavy drinking among college students: Results from a series of undergraduate focus groups. Poster presentation at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA.

Bernhardt, J. M., Usdan, S., Mays, D., Aungst, J., Cremeens, J., Martin, R.. (2005, December). Improving alcohol assessment with wireless handheld computers. Poster presentation at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA.

Aungst, J., Haas, A., Ommaya, A., Green, L., Eds. IOM. 2003. Exploring Challenges, Progress, and New Models for Engaging the Public in the Clinical Research Enterprise: Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: Nat. Academies Press.

CEO & Co-Owner

Komani Lundquist Cedano

Ms. Lundquist (Cedano) (Komani, pronounced Go-mah-knee) has been a co-owner and partner since 2017 and with Via Evaluation since 2008. During her tenure she has worked to develop her knowledge base in Organizational Development, Administration, Finance, Leadership, and Executive Coaching. As CEO and Director of Operations, Komani manages client accounts, Human Resources (HR), administrative staff, finances, company strategy, and marketing. She also participates in development, and leads the executive committee in various company initiatives. Komani loves applying her Organizational Development knowledge to support our clients, and has facilitated training and strategic planning efforts.

Komani currently is the Treasurer on a local Board of Directors, has received certifications as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), and ‘Behavioral Analyst’ for the DISC behavioral profiling system. She looks forward to the opportunity to utilize her skill and experience to help organizations achieve their desired outcomes. While not at work, Komani fixes up her historic home in Buffalo, has participated in a masters rowing program on Buffalo’s waterfront, and enjoys time with her family.

Professional Membership(s)

Society for Human Resource Management
Buffalo Niagara Human Resource Association
American Evaluation Association
Organizational Development Network of Western New York

Current Interests

• Marketing VIA at conferences nationwide
• Leading the Via Evaluation team to fulfill long term goals
• The continual growth and development of Via Evaluation

Formal Training

• SUNY at Buffalo School of Management Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Mastery Forum, Current
• United Way Board Leadership Training, 2014
• United Way of Buffalo and Erie County: Business Planning for Non Profits, 2013
• SUNY at Buffalo School of Social Work, Solution-Focused Leadership, Fall 2012
• SUNY at Buffalo School of Management Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Leadership Development Program, Fall 2011
• Saeli & Tollner, P.C., Employment Law Seminar, Spring 2010, Fall 2010
• Saeli & Tollner, P.C., Employment Law Seminar, 2008

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• Notary Public for the State of New York, 2010, 2014, 2018
• MVP Security Certification, Security Training, 2016
• NYS Education Department Fingerprinting, 2016
• Green Security, LLC Clearance, 2016
• Professional in Human Resources (PHR), 2013
• Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA), 2013
• I. R. B. for Human Participants Protection Education for Research for Social and Behavioral • Sciences Institutional Review, 2009
• NHWI, Certified Healthy Workforce Coordinator, 2009

Conferences

• Grant Professionals Association Conference, 2018
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2018
• New York State Network for Youth Success, 2018
• National Grants Management Association Conference, 2017
• New York State Network for Youth Success, 2017
• PA Department of Education Training, 2017
• National Association for Bilingual Education: Transformative Leadership in Dual Language Education, 2017
• Grant Professionals Association Conference, 2016
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2016
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2015
• NYS SHRM Conference, 2014
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2014
• NYSCSS, the After School Experience, 2008

Publications/Presentations

Komani Lundquist, Elena Harmon (Vantage Evaluation), Taj Carson (Inciter), Kirk Knetsis (Inciter, formerly Hezel & Associates) (2018, October) “Game Changers: Lessons from Small Evaluation Firms” American Evaluation Association (AEA) 2018 Annual Conference.

Komani Lundquist (2016, October). Best Practices for Employing Working Parents. WNY WBASNY Working Parents Committee, Buffalo, NY.

Evaluation Project Manager

Gabriela Arredondo-Santisteban, MPA

Gabriela joined the VIA as a research associate in 2020. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Duke University and her M.P.A. from Brown University. Her evaluation project experience spans state, foundation, client, and federally funded projects.

Before joining the VIA team, Gabriela gained years of data analysis and evaluation experience from a variety or organizations specializing in fields including, nonprofit, law, and healthcare. She worked as a Research & Evaluation Assistant for two and a half years and later became a Chief Health Program Evaluator for the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities, & Hospitals. She is also bilingual, as she is fluent in Spanish.

Outside of work, Gabriela enjoys spending time with her husband and her dog, Luna.

Conference(s)

Eastern Evaluation Research Society Conference, 2021

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association

Education

Master of Public Affairs (MPA): Brown University
BS Psychology: Duke University,

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• I.R.B. Certification for Human Subject Research, 2020

Presentation

Stevens, H., Arredondo-Santisteban, G. (2015, April). Challenges in evaluating civil legal aid for low-income children and families. Eastern Evaluation Research Society 2015 Annual Conference. Absecon, New Jersey.

Evaluation Project Manager

Shontay Barnes, MA

Shontay joined the Via Evaluation team as a research associate in 2019. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Health & Human Services as well as her M.A. in Psychology from State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. She has experience with a wide range of quantitative and qualitative research topics including psychopathology, adolescent development, and healthcare education.

Before joining VIA, Shontay worked in multiple labs performing data collection, analysis, and reporting. The populations ranged from clinical samples to adolescents in the community to current dental students. Shontay also has acted as a research mentor as part of a committee within a dental office to encourage continued education among practitioners. In addition to her experience with research, Shontay interned with programs related to the legal system. She performed case management with the Buffalo COURTS Program as well as assisted with mental health treatment at Erie County Forensic Mental Health Services.

Shontay plans to further her evaluation skills through reading relevant literature, participation in American Evaluation Association activities, and training at The Evaluators’ Institute.

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association

Education

MA Psychology: State University of New York at Buffalo,
BA Psychology and Health & Human Services: State University of New York at Buffalo,

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• NYS Education Department Fingerprinting, current
• American Evaluation Association Workshop: Collaborative Mapping, 2019
• American Evaluation Association Workshop: Strategies for Evaluating Programs That Serve Youth, 2019
• American Evaluation Association Workshop: Evaluative Thinking, 2019
• MVP PII Protec Security Training, 2019
• I.R.B. for Human Participants Protection Education for Research for Social and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review, present
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for Conflicts of Interest, 2017
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for Social and Behavioral Research Investigators, 2017
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for Social and Behavioral Responsible Conduct of Research, 2017

Presentations

Wells, M., Creighton, P., Barnes, S., Zemer, J. (2018, June). Dental Students’ Exposure to Patients with Disabilities in Community Outreach Programs. Poster session presented at the 5th Annual American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry Conference, Seattle, WA.
Barnes, S.B., Colder, C.R., Read, J.P. (2017, June). Parenting Anxious Children: A Moderational-Mediational Pathway to Adolescent Alcohol Use. Poster session at the 40th Annual Research Society on Alcoholism Scientific Meeting, Denver, CO.
Barnes, S.B., Calabrese, W.R., Simms, L.J. (2015, April). Assessing Self-Other Agreement of the Informant-Report Form of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5. Poster session presented at the 11th Annual Celebration for Student Academic Excellence, Buffalo, NY.
Barnes, S.B., Calabrese, W.R., Simms, L.J. (2015, April). Investigation of the Psychometric Properties of the Informant-Report Form of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5. PowerPoint session presented at the 1st Annual SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference, Brockport, NY.

Conferences

• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2020
• NYATCP Conference - Treatment Courts: Zooming into the Future

Marketing & Communications Specialist

Raiah Brown, MS

Raiah Brown joined Via Evaluation in 2020 as a Marketing and Communications Specialist. Raiah was eager to work for an organization that contributes to the success of its community like VIA does.

Raiah’s role includes using marketing and public relations strategies to drive VIA’s strong core values and reputation. Raiah is responsible for developing and overseeing internal and external communication, including social media, material development, data visualization, proposal development and media/P.R. outreach, to help VIA continue to be a trusted leader in evaluation, research, and consulting.

Prior to joining the VIA team, Raiah held various communications roles and internships within the non-profit and education sectors, including and most recently, working as a Public Relations intern at the Ronald McDonald House Charities and as a Researcher’s Assistant at Syracuse University. She has also served as an Alumni Engagement Intern at Medaille College and as a a Public Health Associate at Roswell Park.

Outside of work, Raiah enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, practicing Portuguese, and roller skating.

Raiah received a Public Relations MS from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, at Syracuse University and a Communication BS from Medaille College, in Buffalo, NY.

Professional Membership(s)

Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

Education

BS, Communication, Medaille College
MS, Public Relations, Newhouse, Syracuse University

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• Human Subjects Research (CITI), 2020
• PR Council’s Agency-Ready Certificate, 2020
• PESO Model Certified (Spin Sucks), 2020
• Mimic Social Certified, 2020
• Social Media Certified (HubSpot), 2019
• Google Analytics for Beginners Certified, 2019

Research Associate

Gregg Byrne, MA

Gregg Byrne joined the Via Evaluation team in 2018. Gregg holds a B.A. in Psychology from St. Bonaventure University (attending on a Division I athletic scholarship). He graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2018 with an M.A. in Psychology. He has both progressive and collective experience in the child development field, covering cognitive and social psychology, product research, and applied science.

Gregg has a history of interacting with youth and youth projects. His internships include working as an undergraduate school psychologist with the Olean Central School District and as a graduate intern in the Child Development Department at Fisher-Price. His work at Fisher-Price included gender-based research in pre-school-aged children, as well as product testing on infants and children ranging from 3-48 months. He also worked on child development projects while interning at the University of Texas at Austin, and Fordham University.

An accomplished swimmer himself, Gregg was program supervisor for the Monroe-Woodbury Summer Enrichment Program, which involved managing swim programs for individuals aging 3 months to adult — including those for individuals with handicaps and mental challenges. He was also an assistant coach for the Town Wreckers Swim Team, a local swim club.

Over the course of his education and work experience, Gregg came to realize that he took pleasure in research — especially after experiencing its meaningful outcome. Working at VIA, where he is able to not only apply his research skills, but also obtain new guidance that enables him to learn new skills, simply fosters his love for research.

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association
SREE (The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness)

Education

M.A. Psychology: State University of New York at Buffalo, 2018
B.A. Psychology: St. Bonaventure University (Division I Athletic Scholarship)

Certifications

MVP Security Certification, Security Training, current
HIPPA Certification 2016, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, current
NYS Education Department Fingerprinting, current
NIH Certification & CITI Training
American Red Cross Certified Lifeguard, including First Aid & AED

Presentations

Byrne,G., Van Heugten, M. (2018). Reading or hearing it: How modality affects the flexibility of novel word representations. Presented at the CUNY Sentence Processing Conference, Davis, CA, March 15-17, 2018.
Byrne, G., Bauernschmidt, A., (2016). Effects of Curation on Content Learning. Presented at the Eastern Psychological Association Convention, New York, NY, March 3-5, 2016.
Byrne, G., Winterburn, K., Valeri, R. (2015). College students’ attitudes towards tattooed models representing their University. Presented at the Eastern Psychological Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA, March 3-5, 2016.
Byrne, G., Winterburn, K., Valeri, R. (2014). College students’ attitudes towards tattooed models representing their University. Presented at the Eastern Psychological Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA, March 5-8, 2015.

Conferences

• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2020

Office Manager

Kelli Cavo

Kelli Cavo joined the Via Evaluation team in 2018. With her background experience — which includes strategic planning, relationship building, database management, grant writing, compliance, sponsorship solicitation, fundraising, public speaking, and special events — she was a perfect fit for Via.

Her role as office manager includes keeping the office and its operations running smoothly, as well as supporting all the administrative functions that come along with that task including HR, accounting, IT, business administration (e.g., insurance, etc.) and marketing.

Kelli volunteers her time with various community organizations including Family Promise, an emergency homeless shelter in Buffalo where she is the sitting Vice President and The Rotary Club of West Seneca as the President Elect.

Kelli looked at the values of Via Evaluation and saw words like help, foster, understanding, useful, support and communities — all things that are important to clients, but also important to her. She is excited to be a part of the Via team and to work with clients who want quite simply to help people and to change our world for the better.

Professional Membership(s)

Association of Fundraising Professionals
SHRM
BNHRA
AEA

Certifications

HIPAA Security and Privacy Training, current
SHRM, CP 2019
MVP Security Certification
American Red Cross Certified First Aid and AED, 2019
NIH Protecting Human Research Participants Certification, 2018
NYS Education Department Fingerprinting, current
UB Trauma Informed Care Training, 2017

Administrative Assistant

Jennifer Duer, MBA

Jennifer Duer has joined us to provide support to our Administrative and leadership teams. Her experience with HR & Talent Acquisition, Payroll, bookkeeping (A/R & A/P), HRIS systems, Organizational Development, Project Management, and Federal contracting will provide a variety of support to the team at VIA. She has an MBA with an HR concentration and has over 20 years of professional Human Resources and Talent Acquisition experience. She is systems focused and detail oriented and is a great asset to the VIA team. She lives in Cheektowaga with her husband, three children, and her families’ menagerie – a gecko, budgie and two rescue dogs.

Professional Membership(s)

Society for Human Resource Management
American Payroll Association (APA)

Education

Bachelor of Science in Management and Spanish, State University College of New York – Geneseo, NY
Master of Business Administration, Human Resources, Argosy University – Sarasota, FL

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020

Senior Evaluation Project Manager

Emily Hagstrom, MS Ed

Mrs. Hagstrom joined the Via Evaluation team in 2009 after three years of teaching. As our resident After School expert, Emily is frequently seen at local after school meetings and conferences. As the self-declared “Director of Fun” in the office, she has established the Events committee dedicated to raising company morale by recognizing and celebrating the employees. Building strong relationships with clients is her favorite part of the job. She also helps as a team member for other evaluations by attending meetings for projects she is not the lead evaluator on. Externally, she is active in the After School Network of Western New York (ASNWNY), and is also on the ASNWNY Advocacy Committee. She is also a member of the New York State Network for Youth Success, the National Afterschool Association and the American Evaluation Association.

Building strong programs in the city is especially important to her, as all three of her children attend Buffalo Public Schools.

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association
National AfterSchool Association
AfterSchool Works New York

Education

• MS Ed Adolescent Education: Saint Bonaventure University
• BA Spanish: Saint Bonaventure University

Project Experience

• 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• Arts in Education
• Community Schools Improvement
• Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention (ESD/SVP)
• McKinney-Vento
• Virtual AP
• Learning Technology Grants
• Program Development Grant to Prepare Students with Disabilities to Exit School with Work Readiness Skills
• Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network

Conferences

• Statewide 21st CCLC Kick Off, 2020
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2020
• National AfterSchool Association Conference, 2016
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2016
• National AfterSchool Association Conference, 2015
• Beyond School Hours Conference, 2015
• National AfterSchool Association Conference, 2014
• Beyond School Hours Conference, 2013
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2012
• 21st CCLC Summer Institute, 2012
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2010
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2009
• New York State 21st CCLC/ESD Conference, 2009

Formal Training

• The Evaluator’s Institute: Making Evaluation Data Actionable, 2012
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Introduction to Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, 2011
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Professional Standards and Principles for Evaluation Practice, 2011
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Policy Evaluation and Analysis, 2010
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Management for Evaluators and Those with Oversight Responsibility, 2010
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Working with Evaluator Stakeholders, 2009
• The Evaluator’s Institute: The Basics of Program Evaluation, 2009

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• NIH Human Participants Protection Education for Research Teams, 2009
• NYS Teaching Certificate in Spanish, Grades 7-12
• Green Security, LLC Clearance

Publications/Presentations

Emily E. Hagstrom and Jessica A. Weitzel. “Getting More from Your Data” Presented at the 21st CCLC Rest of State Resource Center's Conferences: Albany, NY, January and June 2018.

Emily E. Hagstrom and Kim Luce “No Gym, No Problem!” Presented at the National AfterSchool Association Conference: Orlando, FL, March 2016

Emily E. Hagstrom “Ask an Evaluator” Presented at the National AfterSchool Association Conference: Washington DC, March 2015

Emily E. Hagstrom and Christine E. B. Howard. “What is Evaluation and Why Should You Care?” Presented to the Organizational Development Network of Western New York: Amherst, New York, May 2013.

Emily E. Hagstrom and Jessica A. Wetizel (2012, October). "Working with New Grantees" Roundtable presentation at the American Evaluation Association National Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 2012.

Emily E. Hagstrom and Caroline A. Taggart. “Using Site Visits to Improve Programs” Presented at the American Evaluation Association National Conference: San Antonio, Texas, November 2010.

Evaluation Project Manager & Equity & Inclusion Specialist

Ashley Hazelwood, Ed.D

Dr. Ashley M. Hazelwood joined the VIA team in 2021 with ten + years of experience within prominent research and program evaluation organizations across the United States and international spaces. Dr. Hazelwood is a dynamic thought-leader and project strategist. She is highly proficient in accountability, awareness, implementation, and promoting equitable and inclusive strategies to facilitate actionable change.

Dr. Hazelwood is a self-described equity-driven researcher, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her work in equity and inclusion to the VIA team and projects cohesively. Skilled in the areas of K-12 and higher education; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and evaluation capacity-building, Dr. Hazelwood has worked with several prominent organizations such as Educational Testing Service (ETS), the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the Council for State School Chief Officers (CCSSO), and the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions.

Dr. Hazelwood is a trained college professor and facilitator, passionate about creating anti-racist environments in various ecosystems. As an educator, she has been fortunate to address crucial aspects of the educational ecosystem from various lenses. Dr. Hazelwood focuses on and is incredibly passionate about implementing equitable and inclusive practices for Black and Brown students’ education.

The New Jersey-based evaluator will work from over 350 miles away, full-time. She is responsible for project development, performance, and client management, including planning and directing evaluation projects from beginning to end, managing client relationships, and ensuring that clients are garnering the maximum benefit of VIA’s services.

Professional Membership(s)

• National Conference on Race and Ethnicity
• Colorado Association of School Executives
• American Educational Research Association
• Association for the Study of Higher Education
Quality Matters

Education

• Ed.D Higher Education, Cognate in Sociology
• M. Ed. College Student Affairs/Higher Education
• BA Human Development and English

Project Experience

• 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• Educational Testing Services, explored PRAXIS Core Exam test preparation experiences; literature review; research study on survey questionnaire
• New Orleans Youth Alliance, data dashboard creation
• Council for Chief State School Officers, DEI
• United Community Corporation, needs assessment

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• Social Justice Training Institute, 2009

Publications/Presentations

2019 by the Council of Chief State School Officers, States Leading: Promising Practices Advancing the Equity Commitments. Contributing Writer: Hazelwood, A.M.

2018-2019 for the United Community Corporation: Interim Program Evaluation: 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Author: Hazelwood, A.M.

Griffin, K.A., Pifer, M., Humphrey, J., & Hazelwood, A.M. (2011). (Re)Defining Departure: Exploring Black Professors’ Experiences with and Responses to Racism and Racial Climate. American Journal of Education, 117(4), 495-526.

Hazelwood, A.M. (2012). Love letters from the hood: In T.S. Jenkins (Ed.) Family, Community and Higher Education (pp. 17-21). New York, NY: Routledge Publishing.

Laitusis, C., Buzick, H.M., Hazelwood, A.M., Hill, K. Exploring the Consequences of Online Test Practice and Learning Opportunities: Can it Help Diversity the Teacher Pipeline? (2019, June). National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) 91st Annual Conference. Denver, CO.

Jenkins, T.S., Andrews, E., Hazelwood, A.M. ASPIRE: Administration Leadership Institute for Women of Color. (2019, May) Paper presented at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE). Portland, OR.

Hazelwood, A.M. A Social Justice Emergent Qualitative Approach to the National Indian Education Study (NIES) Survey Questionnaire (SQ). (2018, August) Poster presented at the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) National Meeting. Washington, D.C.

Hazelwood, A.M. Where are the Sistas Coming From? An Exploration, Critique and Curation of Pedagogy for Black Women in Higher Education. (2017, November). Paper presented at the 2019 American Education Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting. New York, NY.

Hazelwood, A.M. & Chen, P.D. Where are the Sistas Coming From? An Exploration, Critique and Curation of Pedagogy for Black Women in Higher Education (2017, November). Paper presented at the 8th Annual Council on Ethnic Participation (CEP), Association of Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Pre-Conference Roundtable Presentation. Houston, TX.

Hazelwood, A.M. “I feel Empowered through the use of the Code”: The Efficacy of Training in Educator Ethics and the Moral Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE). (2017, July). Paper presented at the Educational Testing Service (ETS) SPRE Internship Symposium. Princeton, NJ.

Jenkins, T.S., Andrews, E., Hazelwood, A.M. ASPIRE: Administration Leadership Institute for Women of Color. (2018, May) Paper presented at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE). New Orleans, LA.

Jenkins, T.S., Andrews, E., Hazelwood, A.M. ASPIRE: Administration Leadership Institute for Women of Color. (2017, May) Paper presented at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE). Fort Worth, TX.

Hazelwood, A.M. (2017, April). Support for Support: Applying a Critical Race Theory Lens to Educational Opportunity Programs in the Community College. Paper presented at the 59th Annual CSCC Conference Roundtable Presentation. Fort Worth, TX.

Bui, Q., Jackson, A., & Hazelwood, A.M. Lanh Dao: Sharing Perspectives of Community College Administrators in Vietnam. (2016, April). Presented at the 58th Annual CSCC Conference Roundtable Presentation. Fort Worth, TX.

Shelton, K.R., Bush, B.V., & Hazelwood, A.M., Do Academic Advisors Follow Recognized Professional Standards in their Work? (2015, November). Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Annual Conference. Denver, CO.

Rogers, J., Njoku, N.R., Rucker, S., & Hazelwood, A.M., (accepted). Brilliant, Beloved, Beautiful, Also are the Minds of Black Women. (2014, November). Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Annual Conference. Washington, D.C.

Keith, A.R., Hazelwood, A.M. Culture and Leadership: Creating Crossroads for Change. (2009, November). Paper presented at the Multicultural Leadership Conference. University of North Carolina Charlotte. Charlotte, N.C.

Griffin, K.A., Pifer, M., Humphrey, J. & Hazelwood, A.M. (Re)Defining Departure: Exploring Black Professors’ Experiences with and Responses to Racism and Racial Climate. (2009, November). Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Annual Conference. Vancouver, CA.

Evaluation Project Manager

Erin Holbrook, MPA

Erin Holbrook joined the Via Evaluation team in 2016. Erin’s passion for education, service, social advocacy, and community engagement began in 2010 with a service learning trip to South Africa. During the program, she helped facilitate workshops for high school students, empowering them to improve their communities through service. Over the past six years, Erin has strived to continue this work, and now, as a Research Associate, Erin hopes to empower Buffalo organizations and schools by using data-driven decision making and evaluation.

A transplant to Buffalo, Erin spent two years serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA member at the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County. Through the AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program, she worked on a variety of education projects, from data collection for a Federal Full Service Community Schools grant to designing the Reading off the Rink with the Buffalo Sabres initiative. In addition to her work as a VISTA, Erin worked as the Project and Data Coordinator for the Children’s Center for Success pilot program at Family Help Center Daycare and was a volunteer mentor for Westminster Economic Development Initiative’s ENERGY, an after school program focused on building literacy among refugee students.

Prior to her move to Buffalo, Erin earned her BA in Communication from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. While pursuing her degree, she studied Arabic in Morocco, was a volunteer mentor for elementary students through College Mentors for Kids, and interned at Special Olympics Indiana in Indianapolis. Outside of work, Erin enjoys being outdoors, whether it’s lounging on the beach, sweating on the soccer field, or hiking a new trail. During the other nine months of the year, she loves to cook, sketch, and study linguistics.

Professional Membership(s)

• American Evaluation Association
• Grant Professionals Association

Education

• BA, Communication, Purdue University
• MPPA, Public Policy and Administration, Northwestern University, 2020

Presentations

• Taggart, C., Holbrook, E. (2019, November). Sharing Lessons from a Community-Conducted Needs Assessment. AEA 2019 Annual Conference. Minneapolis, MN.
• Holbrook, E., Lundquist, K. (2019, November). A better (or just more fun) way to Logic Model!. GPA 2019 Annual Conference. Washington, DC.
• Holbrook, E. (2019, March). Understanding and Using BPS YRBS Results. Child Care Resource Network’s School-Age Leadership Summit. Buffalo, NY.
• Holbrook, E. (2018, September). Program Development and Evaluation. Training for VISTA and AmeriCorps members. Angola, NY.

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• Mental Health First Aid for Adults, 2020
• MVP Security Certification, Security Training, Current
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Certification for Human Research in Social and Behavioral Investigations, 2016
• Green Security, LLC Clearance 2016

Formal Training

• Racial Equity Impact Analysis Training, "Interactive Dashboards Using Excel & Google Sheets", American Evaluation Association, 2020
• "You Build it. Why Won't They Come? Evaluation Capacity Building", American Evaluation Association, 2020
• "Collective Power: Using Participatory Leadership Facilitation in Evaluation Design", American Evaluation Association, 2020
• Success Case Method for Rapid Cycle Evaluations, American Evaluation Association, 2019
• Needs Assessments and Assets/Capacity Building, American Evaluation Association, 2019
• Introduction to Social Network Analysis, American Evaluation Association, 2018
• Rubric-Enhanced Evaluation, American Evaluation Association, 2018
• Basics of Program Evaluation, The Evaluators Institute, 2018
• 12 Steps of Quantitative Data Cleaning, American Evaluation Association, 2017
• HIPAA Security and Privacy Training, 2016
• MVP PII Protect Security Training, 2016
• R. B. for Human Participants Protection Education for Research for Social and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review, 2016
• NYS Office of Child & Family Services, Mandated Reporting, 2016
• Agency Executives Association, Cultural Competency, 2016
• Agency Executives Association, Meaningful Measurement – Assessing Program Effectiveness, 2015
• United Way Board Leadership Training, 2015

Conferences

• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2020
• EERS (Eastern Evaluation Research Society) Annual Conference

Research Associate

Rebekah Kimble, BA, MA

Rebekah Kimble joined the Via Evaluation team as a research associate in 2020. Rebekah holds a B.A. in History from Houghton College and an M.A. in History from the University at Buffalo. Since moving to Buffalo in 2015, Rebekah has worked in a variety of educational settings.

As a graduate student, she served as an AmeriCorps ABLE member at Upward Bound at D’Youville College, where she taught classes in college preparation and financial literacy, and tutored students who were preparing for the U.S. History and Government and Global History Regents Examinations. During this time, Rebekah also worked as an academic tutor at an innovative college program designed specifically for English language learners.

After completing her master’s degree, Rebekah spent several years working first as the coordinator and later the director, of an Associate of Arts degree program for justice-involved and at-risk students. She also taught a variety of courses in history and political science there.

Recently, Rebekah’s enjoyment of administering, teaching, and researching led her to co-edit a volume of best practices for college-in-prison programs and for colleges/universities seeking to serve returning citizens more effectively.

Rebekah is looking forward to using her background in education, criminal justice, and writing to serve Via Evaluation’s clients. In her spare time, Rebekah serves as a board member for Homespace, an organization that supports at-risk young women and their children. She also volunteers with the New York Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement, an organization seeking to limit the use of solitary confinement in New York State prisons and jails.

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association

Education

MA History: State University of New York at Buffalo
BA History: Houghton College
AA: Schenectady County Community College

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification
Credential of Readiness, Harvard Business School Online

Senior Evaluation Project Manager

Amy Puca, MS, MA

Amy Puca has been doing research and evaluation work in education, psychology, and related fields for over 15 years. In addition to research and evaluation, she worked in the front lines of education for over 10 years as a tutor and New York City Public School teacher.

Currently, Amy is the lead evaluator on various educational grants, including 21st Century Learning Center, Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps), My Brother’s Keeper Family and Community Engagement Program, and Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grants. Amy also has evaluation experience with: Youth Risk Behavior Survey, school district attendance analysis, community needs assessment, logic modeling, journey mapping, data consultation, database creation, and evaluation capacity building.

She is thrilled to have found a career that merges her two career passions (education and social sciences), she believes in the ability of programs to improve the lives of children. She appreciates the opportunity to work with project staff to provide children with the best possible program experience and work with her colleagues to provide top-notch evaluation services. Amy continually enhances her evaluation skills through participation in American Evaluation Association activities, training at The Evaluators’ Institute, and reading relevant literature.

Amy is a board member for the UPward Design For Life, Corporation of Buffalo, NY, which helps furnish homes and transform the lives of those in need. She also serves on the Buffalo Public Schools Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth Committee.

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association
Eastern Evaluation Research Society

Education

• MA Psychology in Education: Clinical Psychology: Teachers College at Columbia University
• MS Secondary Mathematics Education: The City College of New York
• BS Honors Psychology: Wayne State University

Project Experience

• 21st Century Community Learning Center
• Classroom Observations
• Community Needs Assessment
• Community Schools Grant Initiative
• Comprehensive Abstinence Education Grant Program
• Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps)
• Data Consultation/Database Creation
• Department of Defense Education Activity Educational Partnership Program
• Department of Health and Human Services: Sexual Risk Avoidance Education, Comprehensive Abstinence Education
• Elementary and Secondary School Counseling
• Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention
• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Grant
• Journey Mapping
• Logic Modeling
• Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant
• Math and Science Partnership Program
• My Brother’s Keeper Family and Community Engagement Program
• National Science Foundation: Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program
Needs Assessment
• Program Development Grant to Prepare Students with Disabilities to Exit School with Work Readiness Skills
• School District Attendance Analysis
• School District Discipline Analysis
• School District Performance Improvement
• Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Conferences

• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2018
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2016
• National PBIS Leadership Forum, 2015
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2015
• Eastern Evaluation Research Society Annual Conference, 2015
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2014
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2013
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers State Conference, 2013

Formal Training

• AEA: Evaluating PK-12 Professional Learning Communities: An Improvement Science Perspective, 2018
• AEA: Using Evidence to Scale Up Community-Based Solutions that Work: A Federal Agency’s Framework and Approach, 2018
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Evaluating Training Programs: Frameworks and Fundamentals, 2018
• AEA: Beyond Capacity Building-Utilizing Evaluation for Organizational Success, 2015
• AEA: Meaningful Evaluation in the Context of Schools, 2015
• PBIS: Using TFI Fidelity Data & School Climate Data to Build PBIS Implementation Plans, 2015
• National Center for School Engagement-Evaluating Your Truancy Reduction Program, 2014
• AEA: Nonparametric Statistics, 2014
• AEA: Classroom Observation and Participatory Evaluation, 2014
• AEA: Using Extended Program Models (EPM) and Expanded Logic Models (ELM) to Integrate Complex Systems and Program Theories in Teacher Professional Development Evaluation, 2014
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers State Conference, 2013
• AEA: Working with Programs to Develop Effective Systems for Collecting Implementation Data, 2013
• AEA: Visualizing Process: How to Create a Stakeholder-friendly Graphic Timeline of Process Data, 2013
• Bullying in Your Community Training: Policies, Prevention, and Intervention, Pace Women’s Justice Center in conjunction with Tri-County Training Collaborative, 2012
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Applied Measurement for Evaluation, 2012

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• Mental Health First Aid USA Certificate, 2020
• NYS Education Department Fingerprinting
• New York State 5-12 Secondary Mathematics Teacher Certification, 2007
• College of Reading and Learning Association Level One Certification, 2003
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for Human Research Protection Education
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for HIPAA in Research
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification for Data Security in Research
• National Institute of Health (NIH) IRB Certification for Protection of Human Research Participants
• Green Security, LLC Clearance

Publications/Presentations

Puca, A. (2021, August). Ask an Evaluator. Grant Professionals Association Webinar.

Puca, A. (2018, October). Conducting Meaningful Classroom Observations. American Evaluation Association 2018 Annual Conference, Cleveland, OH.

Puca, A. (2016, October). Getting to Analysis: Developing Stakeholder Buy-In in the Data Collection Process! American Evaluation Association 2016 Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Puca, A. (2016, October). Take a Deep Breath-Baby Steps to Evaluation Capacity Building! American Evaluation Association 2016 Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Puca, A. (2016, October). Promoting Quality in Early Childhood Programs. Child Care Resource Network 2016 Annual Conference, Williamsville, NY.

Puca, A. (2015, April). Meeting Stakeholders Where They Are: Increasing Stakeholder Buy-in and Getting the Data You Need! Eastern Evaluation Research Society 2015 Annual Conference, Galloway, NJ.

Research Assistant

Taylor Romanyk-O’Brien, BA

Taylor Romanyk-O’Brien joined VIA in May of 2021. Her role includes supporting the needs of VIA’s evaluation staff as they provide evaluation services to clients. She works with data collection tools, analyzes data, provides internal reports, and contributes to the development of external client reports.
Before joining VIA, Taylor worked as a Principal Investigator at Buffalo State College. She brings experience in research methodology, grant writing, and statistical analysis. She also holds experience with the advocacy of vulnerable populations.
One of her most recent past projects was an LGBTQAI2+ centered independent research study that she conducted.
Outside of work, Taylor

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association

Education

• Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, State University of New York College at Buffalo
Women & Gender Studies (minor)

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• NYS Education Department Fingerprinting

Publications/Presentations

Special Projects Consultant

Deb Spearing, Ph.D.

Deb joined VIA in the midst of the Global Pandemic to support the adaptation of our strategic plan and accelerate our ability to adapt to meet client need.

Deb is excited to join VIA and apply her skills in organizational psychology and talent management to guide implementation of critical pieces of the company strategic plan. She loves helping organizations make sure they are giving employees every opportunity to do their best work.

Deb’s educational experience in Industrial/Organizational Psychology has offered her a well-developed understanding of data-driven organizational effectiveness. She also is an expert in Organizational Development, workforce analysis, change management, recruitment & selection, training, higher education administration, and institutional research. She has conducted a wide variety of organizational needs analyses and is familiar with a variety of applied performance metrics.

Eastern Evaluation Research Society Conference, 2021

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association
Society for Human Resource Management

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Business Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology – Chicago, IL, 2015
Dissertation: The Influence of Motives and Motive Fulfillment on Volunteer Board Member Performance
Master of Arts, Psychology, Medaille College – Buffalo, NY
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Alfred University – Alfred, NY

Certifications

SHRM-Certified Professional
• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020

Select Publications

Atlas, G.D., Taggart, T., & Goodell, D.J. 2004. The effects of sensitivity to criticism on motivation and performance in
music students, The British Journal of Music Education, 21, 81-87.

Abrardo, J., Atlas, G.D. Goodell, D.J, & Martin, M. An investigation of perceptual bias in the Kobe Bryant case,
Poster presented at the 113th APA National Convention, 2005.

Goodell, D.J. & Martin, M. The effects of varied musical interference on cognitive ability, Poster presented at the
Alfred University Undergraduate Research Forum, 2004.

Senior Evaluation Project Manager

Caroline Taggart, MPH

Caroline Taggart enjoys helping organizations achieve their goals through planning and evaluation. Caroline previously spent several years teaching middle school, followed by three years directing a federally-funded longitudinal research project. Seeking a way to combine the rigors of research methodology with the “real-world” of working in schools and communities, Caroline joined Via Evaluation. Currently, she evaluates several projects including School Climate Transformation Grants, 21st Century Learning Centers, Department of Defense Education Activity, and Elementary and Secondary Counseling. In addition, Caroline has worked on special projects such as Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey analysis and reporting, school attendance analyses, Community Needs Assessments, and Logic Modeling. Although well-versed in quantitative methodology, Caroline has extensive background in and a love for qualitative methods.

Caroline holds a BA in English from Barnard College and a Master’s of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned the Robert E. Bryan Fellowship for Community Service research and a Foreign Language Area Studies Scholarship. She continues to further her evaluation expertise through courses with The Evaluator’s Institute at George Washington University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American Evaluation Association’s Annual Summer Institute, and the American Evaluation Association’s Annual Conference. In addition to membership with the American Evaluation Association, Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, and the American Public Health Association, Caroline serves on the After-School Network of Western New York Steering Committee.

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association
American Public Health Association
Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness

Education

• Louisiana Teaching Certification, Secondary English Language Arts, The New Teacher Project, 2003
• MPH Health Behavior and Health Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• BA English and Psychology: Barnard College, Columbia University

Project Experience

• 21st Century Community Learning Center
• Community-Based Abstinence Education
• Department of Defense Education Activity
• Elementary and Secondary Counseling
• Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention
• School Climate Transformation Grant
• Teen Pregnancy Prevention Tier IB (US Office of Adolescent Health)
• Criteria Schools Admissions Scoring
• Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey Analysis and Reporting

Formal Training

• Perconter: Building a Student At-Risk Prediction Model, 2017
• American Evaluation Association e-Study: Monitoring and Evaluation Planning for Programs, 2017
• The Evaluator’s Institute: Linking Evaluation Questions to Analysis Techniques, 2013
• American Evaluation Association: Utilization-Focused Evaluation, 2011
• The Evaluators’ Institute: Design and Administration of Internet, Mail and Mixed-Mode Surveys, 2011
• American Evaluation Association: Determining Effect Size in Evaluation, 2010
• American Evaluation Association: Quantitative Methods for Evaluation, 2010
• The Evaluators’ Institute: Using Non-Experimental Designs for Impact Evaluation, 2010
• American Evaluation Association and Centers for Disease Control: Summer Training Institute, 2010
• The Evaluators’ Institute: Qualitative Data Analysis, 2010
• Family and Youth Services Bureau: Evaluating Community-Based Risk Prevention Programs for Youth, 2010
• The Evaluators’ Institute: Qualitative Evaluation Methods, 2010
• Center for School Mental Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine: Advancing School Mental Health, 14th Annual Conference, 2009
• The Evaluators’ Institute: Working with Evaluation Stakeholders, 2009
• Nick Woolf Consulting: Atlas.ti Intensive Training, 2008

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
• What Works Clearinghouse Group Design Standards Training, 2017
• MVP Security Certification, Security Training, 2016
• NIH Human Participants Protection Education for Research Teams
• CITI Social/Behavioral Research Program in the Protection of Human Research Subjects
• Green Security, LLC Clearance

Conferences

• New York Association of Treatment Court Professionals Annual Conference, 2021.
• American Public Health Association (APHA) 2020.
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2021.
• American Education and Finance Policy (AEFP) 43rd Annual Conference, 2018.
• American Public Health Association (APHA) 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo, 2017.
• Global Implementation Conference, 2017.
• Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Annual Conference, 2017
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2016
• Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Annual Conference, 2016
• American Evaluation Association Conference, 2015
• Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Annual Conference, 2015
• National PBIS Leadership Forum, 2014
• Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Annual Conference, 2014
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, Washington, D.C. (Presenter), 2013
• Advancing School Mental Health Conference, Washington, D.C. (Presenter), 2013
• Linking Evaluation Questions to Analysis Techniques, The Evaluator’s Institute, 2013
• American Evaluation Association/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Summer Institute, 2013
• Applied Regression, The Evaluator’s Institute, 2012
• American Evaluation Association/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Summer Institute, 2012
• Design and Administration of Internet, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys, The Evaluator’s Institute, 2011
• American Evaluation Association Annual Conference, 2010
• Centers for Disease Control/American Evaluation Association Summer Institute, 2010
• Community-Based Abstinence Education Grant Conference, 2010
• Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, 2009
• New York State 21st CCLC/ESD Conference, 2009
• Research Society on Alcoholism, 2009
• American Public Health Association Annual Conference, 2008

Publications/Presentations

Senter, L., Taggart, C., Middleton, D., Martin, S., (2017, December) Applying a collective impact framework to dramatically reduce teen pregnancy rates in Buffalo, New York: evaluating a collaborative approach to implementing systems-level changes and evidence-based interventions. 10th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health, Arlington, VA.

Taggart, C., Senter, L., Middleton, D., Martin, S., Drayton, M. (2017, November) HOPE Buffalo Initiative: Integrating the Collective Impact Framework to Guide a Countywide Cross-sector Collaboration to Reduce Buffalo’s Teen Pregnancy Rate. APHA 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo, Atlanta, GA.

Taggart, C., Hubbard, P. (2016, October). Survey Reports Simplified. AEA 2016 Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Weitzel, J.A., Taggart, C. (2015, November). Evaluating “Mature” Programs That Aren’t So Mature: Practical and Ethical Implications. AEA 2015 Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Weitzel, J.A., Taggart, C. (2015, October). Make Your Data Work for You. Association of New York State Youth Bureaus Annual Youth Development Training Conference, Niagara Falls, NY.

Taggart, C., Alvarez, C. (2015, October). Maximizing Impact through Program Monitoring and Evaluation. Association of NY State Youth Bureaus Annual Youth Development Training Conference, Niagara Falls, NY.

Taggart, C. (2015, May). Program Monitoring and Evaluation. United Way of Buffalo and Erie County Board Member Training. Buffalo, NY.

Parks, K.A., Hsieh, Y., Taggart, C., Bradizza, C.M. 2014. A Longitudinal Analysis of Drinking and Victimization in College Women: Is There a Reciprocal Relationship? Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, (28:4), 943-951.

Jessica Weitzel and Caroline A. Taggart. “Strategies for Effective Reporting.” Presented at the American Evaluation Association’s Evaluation 2013 Annual Meeting: Washington, D.C., November 2013.

Caroline Taggart and Cheri Alvarez. “Closing the Gap: Partnering to Improve School Climate, Access to Mental Health Services, and Student Outcomes.” Presented at the Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health: Washington, D.C., October 2013.

Jessica Weitzel and Caroline A. Taggart. “Dealing with Sensitive Data in Community-Based Organization Settings.” Presented at the American Evaluation Association’s Evaluation 2011 Annual Meeting: Anaheim, CA, November 2011

Caroline A. Taggart and Emily Hagstrom. “Using Site Visits to Improve Programs”. Presented at the American Evaluation Association’s Evaluation 2010 Annual Meeting: San Antonio, TX, November 2010

Caroline A. Taggart, Ahmad Rufai-Abdullah. “Barriers to reproductive health care among Muslim immigrants in the Triangle area: A qualitative exploration”. Accepted for presentation at American Public Health Association Annual Meeting: Philadelphia, PA, November 2009.

Caroline A. Taggart, Kathleen A. Parks, Kristine Levonyan-Radloff, Amy Hequembourg. “A Qualitative Comparison of Alcohol and Non-Alcohol Involved Sexual Aggression in a Sample of College Women”. Presented at Research Society on Alcoholism Annual Meeting: San Diego, California, June 2009.

Kathleen A. Parks, Kristine Levonyan-Radloff, Lorraine Collins, Caroline A. Taggart. “A Qualitative Analysis of Risky Sexual Events Reported by a Sample of Young Women Bar Drinkers”. Presented at Research Society on Alcoholism Annual Meeting: San Diego, California, June 2009.

Research Associate

Vicki Zimmer, BA, MS

Vicki joined the Via Evaluation team in 2020. Prior to joining Via, Vicki discovered the world of program evaluation when she began working for an evaluation firm that specialized in supporting state and federal education grants. In addition to learning evaluation best practices, she developed her skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis and data visualization.

Vicki received her B.A. in History from Nazareth College and her M.S. in Library and Information Science from Simmons University. She has worked and interned in a variety of library settings, including public and academic libraries and archives.

A Rochester native, Vicki is happy to be back in Western New York after time in other states and is enjoying exploring all that Buffalo has to offer. She is very excited to continue to learn and expand her skillset at Via Evaluation, and is eager to support schools and organizations in Western New York to use data to guide decision-making and program improvement.

Professional Membership(s)

American Evaluation Association

Education

MS Library and Information Science: Simmons University
BA History: Nazareth College

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) IRB Certification

Program Evaluation Intern

Summer Cerbone

Summer Cerbone joined VIA Evaluation in June 2021 as a Program Evaluation Intern.  In her role, Summer is responsible for designing surveys, cleaning and analyzing data, and assisting the VIA team with their various projects.

Summer is a rising junior at Syracuse University where she studies Sociology and Spanish. At school, she is President of The Women’s Network – Syracuse; founding chapter of The Women’s Network, a national networking organization which strives to create a non-competitive environment for collegiate women to prepare themselves for the professional world.

Born and raised on the West Side of Buffalo, Summer has always found a way to make a difference in her community; she felt she could continue this in her role at VIA by helping local schools, non-profits, and organizations improve their services.

Professional Membership(s)

The Women’sNetwork, LLC

Education

Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Citizenship, expected May 2023

Certifications

• HIPPA Certification 2020, HIPAA Security & Privacy Training, 2020