About Us
People
Leadership
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James Bell, M.A. Founder and President
James Bell has more than 40 years of experience designing and directing national program evaluations. He started JBA in 1979 to help programs better serve...
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Jill Filene, M.P.H. Executive Vice President
Jill Filene has more than 25 years of experience in applied research, program evaluation, and technical assistance. Her areas of expertise include home...
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James P. DeSantis, Ph.D. Vice President
James P. DeSantis is a developmental psychologist with more than 30 years of experience in research, program design, evaluation, technical assistance, and project...
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Kate Lyon, M.A. Vice President
Kate Lyon has 20 years of experience in program evaluation, applied social science research, and evaluation technical assistance. Her areas of expertise...
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Lina Gong, M.B.A. Vice President of Finance and Administration
Lina Gong has more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, operations management, and federal contracting. She oversees a range of functions...
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Elyse Kaye In Memoriam
As one of JBA’s first employees, Elyse Kaye spearheaded JBA’s foray into the child and family services arena. She has more than 30 years of...
Staff
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Tess Abrahamson-Richards, M.P.H. Senior Research Associate
Tess Abrahamson-Richards has more than 10 years of experience in early childhood education and public health. A member of the Spokane Tribe in...
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Pirkko Ahonen, Ph.D., M.S. Senior Research Associate
Pirkko Ahonen has more than 20 years of experience in evaluation studies, technical assistance, and applied research. She currently serves as the project director...
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Grace Atukpawu-Tipton, Ph.D., M.S.W. Senior Research Associate, Equity Director
Grace Atukpawu-Tipton has more than 20 years of experience in program evaluation, evaluation technical assistance, and applied social science research in the...
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Amanda N. Barczyk, Ph.D., M.S.W. Senior Research Associate
Amanda Barczyk has 20 years of experience leading small- and large-scale quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research and evaluation projects....
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Todd Bartko, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate
Todd Bartko has more than 30 years of experience in social science research and program administration. He brings to JBA his expertise in applied social science...
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Tonya Bibbs, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate
Tonya Bibbs has more than 20 years of experience in applied social science research, program evaluation, and research design. She brings to JBA skills in ...
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Leah Bouchard, Ph.D. Research Associate
Leah Bouchard has nearly 10 years of experience as a social worker and researcher. Her work has focused on substance use in marginalized communities, rural...
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Dakota Bragato Research Assistant
Dakota Bragato has a background in social science research and policy analysis, as well as experience in childcare, education, and community...
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Katie Sacca Brennan, M.P.H. Research Associate
Katie Sacca Brennan has nearly 10 years of experience monitoring and evaluating maternal and family health and development programs. Her evaluation...
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Kristopher Britton, M.P.H. Research Assistant
Kristopher Britton has a background in applied public health research in maternal and child and early childhood development, as well as experience in...
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Jessica Bruning, M.S. Research Associate
Jessica Bruning has more than 5 years of experience in public policy, program evaluation, and research related to children and families. Her skills include mixed-...
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Ashley Bucher, M.P.H. Research Associate
Ashley Bucher has nearly 10 years of experience in child maltreatment research, program development, data collection and analysis, data reporting, data...
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Brandie Buckless, M.P.H. Senior Research Associate
Brandie Buckless has more than 10 years of experience in public health, community-based participatory research, evaluation, and technical assistance in...
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Patrice Cachat, M.S.W. Research Associate
Patrice Cachat has nearly 20 years of experience in child and family services with extensive knowledge in child welfare and protection and child and adolescent...
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Leah Childress, Ph.D. Research Associate
Leah Childress has more than 15 years of experience in program evaluation, applied social science research, and evaluation technical assistance in diverse content...
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Crystal Coles, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate
Crystal Coles has nearly 15 years of experience in applied social science research and evaluation in child welfare and maternal child health, including more...
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Terrica Dang-Mertz Research Assistant
Terrica Dang-Mertz has a background in social science research and policy analysis, as well as experience in legal studies, education, and community organizing....
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Shanna Davidson Human Resources Manager
Shanna Davidson is a certified Professional in Human Resources whose skills include managing full employee life cycle processes, ensuring compliance...
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Amanda Eastern, Ph.D., M.S. Research Associate
Amanda Eastern has a background in applied social science research and early childhood policy analysis. Her areas of expertise include qualitative research...
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Eleanor Fisk, Ph.D. Research Associate
Eleanor Fisk has more than 5 years of experience in early childhood research, policy, and practice. Areas of expertise include community-engaged evaluations...
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Anne Fromknecht, M.P.H. Senior Research Associate
Anne Fromknecht has more than 15 years of experience in applied social science, evaluation, and technical assistance. Her technical skills include project...
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Alva Gachupin, M.P.H. Research Assistant-Coordinator
Alva Gachupin is an Indigenous health professional with 10 years of experience in public health. Her experience spans work in a tribal health setting, at the state level...
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Erly Garba, M.B.A. Finance Manager
Erly Garba has more than 10 years of experience in corporate accounting. At JBA, he manages the finance and administration team on accounts receivables...
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Rowena Gear Business Manager
Rowena Gear has more than 30 years of experience in business management and accounting. In her part-time role at JBA, she is responsible for managing payroll...
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Erin Geary, Ph.D., M.S.W. Senior Research Associate
Erin Geary has 15 years of experience in program evaluation, project management, and technical assistance. His skills include designing and...
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Kate Golden Guzman, Ph.D., M.A. Senior Research Associate
Kate Golden Guzman has more than 15 years of experience conducting applied research and evaluation using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods....
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Elliott Graham, Ph.D. Director
Elliott Graham has 30 years of experience in program evaluation, applied social science research, and evaluation technical assistance. He currently...
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Grace Kwanchanok Griffith, M.B.A. Accounting Associate
Grace Kwanchanok Griffith has more than 10 years of experience in finance and accounting. She has extensive work experience in financial accounting...
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Emily Heberlein, Ph.D., M.S. Senior Research Associate
Emily Heberlein has more than 18 years of experience in mixed-methods research, evaluation, and quality improvement. Her work spans initiatives including...
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Susan Higman, Ph.D., M.A. Senior Research Associate
Susan Higman has nearly 25 years of experience in applied research and evaluation on maternal and child health and child development, including nearly 15...
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Martin Honesty Finance and Administration Associate
Martin Honesty has more than 30 years of experience in the administrative field. His responsibilities include managing employee laptops and monitors, the...
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Caitlin Trucksess Howley, M.P.H. Research Associate
Caitlin Trucksess Howley has a decade of experience working in academic and applied research settings conducting community-based participatory research...
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Erin Ingoldsby, Ph.D. Director
Erin Ingoldsby has nearly 30 years of experience in applied social science research, program evaluation, and evaluation technical assistance in diverse content...
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April Khadijah Inniss, M.D., M.Sc. Senior Research Associate
April Khadijah Inniss is a pediatrician with more than 10 years of experience as a mixed-methods researcher in racial equity and child and family health and...
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Heather Johnson, Dr.P.H., M.P.H. Research Associate
Heather Hudspeth Johnson has more than 10 years of experience planning, implementing, and evaluating maternal and child health programs. She has worked...
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Alexandra Joraanstad, M.S. Research Associate
Alexandra Joraanstad has more than 10 years of experience conducting social science research and evaluation. Her work has primarily focused on home...
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Kirsten Keene, M.A. Research Associate
Kirsten Keene has more than 10 years of experience in applied social science research and program evaluation. Her research skills include qualitative...
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Kathy Kopiec, M.S.W., M.A. Research Associate
Kathy Kopiec has 20 years of experience in program evaluation and applied social science research with substantive knowledge in mental health services and...
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Julie Leis, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate
Julie Leis has nearly 20 years of experience in applied research and program evaluation in the areas of home visiting, mental health, and child development...
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Haiying Li Staff Accountant
Haiying Li has more than 10 years of experience in accounting and finance. She has extensive work experience in fiscal operation and management of...
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Maggie Liddell, M.B.A., M.A. Operations Associate
Maggie Liddell has nearly 20 years of experience spanning financial analysis and reporting, business process development, market and business analytics...
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Doreen Major Ryan, M.A. Communications Director
Doreen Major Ryan has more than 30 years of communications and marketing experience with expertise in research translation and dissemination,...
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Loren Masters, M.P.H. Research Analyst
Loren Masters has 10 years of experience conducting public health social science research. Her areas of content expertise include health disparities...
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Kim McCombs-Thornton, Ph.D., M.P.P. Senior Research Associate
Kim McCombs-Thornton has more than 25 years of experience leading, designing, and implementing evaluation research projects for early childhood and...
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Allison Meisch, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate
Allison Meisch is a developmental psychologist with 20 years of experience in quantitative and qualitative methods, program evaluation, applied research...
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Nicole M. Miller, M.S.W. Senior Research Associate
Nicole Miller has more than 20 years of experience in child and family services, focused primarily on child welfare and protection and child and adolescent...
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Erin Morehouse, M.P.H. Research Associate
Erin Morehouse has nearly 15 years of experience in program evaluation, data reporting and dashboard development, technical assistance and training, data...
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Colleen Morrison, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate
Colleen Morrison has more than 10 years of experience in program evaluation and applied developmental research. Her areas of expertise include early...
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Natalie Moyer, M.S.W. Research Assistant
Natalie Moyer spent 4 years working in early childhood education before transitioning to a career in macro-level social work. She currently works as a research...
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Julie Murphy, M.S.W. Senior Research Associate
Julie Murphy has more than 20 years of program evaluation experience in the human services field. She has led numerous federal, state, and local evaluations...
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Kris Neurauter Production and Design Specialist
Kris Neurauter has more than 25 years of experience in project coordination and document production. Her role at JBA includes formatting and compiling...
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Chi Connie Park, Ph.D., M.A. Senior Research Associate
Chi Connie Park has more than 15 years of experience in applied social science research design, program evaluation, and capacity building in the areas of child...
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Timothy Pitsch IT Coordinator
Timothy Pitsch has nearly 15 years of experience in information systems, IT coordination, network operations, and support desks. As JBA’s IT...
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Matthew Poes, M.S. Senior Research Associate
Matthew Poes has more than 15 years of experience in research, evaluation, and technical assistance related to home visiting. His areas of expertise include ...
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Mallory Quigley Clark, M.P.H. Senior Research Associate
Mallory Quigley Clark has more than 10 years of experience planning, implementing, and evaluating maternal and child health programs. She has worked...
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Tammy Richards, M.Ed. Senior Research Associate
Tammy Richards has more than 20 years of experience in program evaluation, applied social science research, evaluation training, and technical assistance. Her...
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Erica Blue Roberts, Ph.D., M.H.S. Senior Research Associate
Erica Blue Roberts has more than 10 years of experience in program evaluation and analysis, applied social science research, and technical assistance. She...
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Joelle Ruben, M.S.W. Senior Communications Associate
Joelle Ruben has more than 15 years of experience working on child and family issues in a variety of communications, policy, advocacy, and direct service...
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Kerry Ryan, M.A. Senior Research Associate
Kerry Ryan has nearly 15 years of experience conducting social services evaluation research, with a focus on the implementation, dissemination, and...
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Melina Salvador, Ph.D., M.A. Senior Research Associate
Melina Salvador has more than 20 years of experience in critically applied public anthropology, health and mental health services research, and program...
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Hannah Simmons Continuous Quality Improvement Associate
Hannah Simmons has 15 years of experience engaging government, early childhood, health, and community partners in cross-sector collaboration for systems...
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Mikaila Singleton, M.P.H. Research Assistant
Mikaila Singleton has a background in social science research and experience working on topics related to mental health, maternal and child health, and early...
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Mariel Sparr, Ph.D., M.A. Senior Research Associate
Mariel Sparr has more than 15 years of experience in applied research and evaluation in the areas of implementation quality, early childhood education...
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Margaret Southern Office Manager
Margaret Southern has more than 40 years of experience in the administrative field. As JBA’s office manager, she ensures things are running smoothly...
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Nichole Sturmfels, M.P.H. Senior Data Manager
Nichole Sturmfels has 15 years of experience in applied public health research, specializing in data system selection, implementation, operations, and reporting...
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Amanda Thomson, M.P.P. Research Associate
Amanda Thomson has nearly 10 years of experience in social science research, program evaluation, and technical assistance. She is trained in public policy...
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Lance Till, M.S. Associate Director
Lance Till has more than 15 years of experience working in evaluation, program planning, and early childhood systems of care. He brings to JBA expertise...
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William Voinot-Baron, Ph.D. Research Associate
William Voinot-Baron is a writer and anthropologist with more than 10 years of qualitative research experience. His research spans mental health...
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Yuan Wang, M.S. Senior Research Analyst
Yuan Wang has more than 15 years of experience in applied statistical research, capacity building technical assistance, qualitative research, complex survey...
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Wynette Whitegoat, M.S.W. Research Associate
Wynette Whitegoat has more than 5 years of experience in technical assistance, higher education, and program management. A member of the Navajo...
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Kristyn Yepa, D.N.P. Senior Research Associate
Kristyn Yepa has more than 15 years of experience in tribal healthcare systems. She is an expert in public health administration with strengths in tribal...
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Susan Zaid, M.A. Director
Susan Zaid brings more than 20 years of experience in program evaluation, applied social science research, and evaluation technical assistance in the areas of...