Search

Molly Irwin has more than 25 years of experience leading large-scale research and evaluation efforts and working with policy makers, researchers, and practitioners to build and use evidence. Irwin has worked to improve public programs and policy outcomes in workforce development, child and family well-being, public health, and conservation, most recently as the Pew Charitable Trusts’ vice president of research and science. She spent over 10 years in the federal government in the Department of Labor (DOL), where she served as the chief evaluation officer, and in the Administration for Children and Families. She has also overseen major initiatives in state and local government and academia.

Dr. Sebastian Lemire is an evaluation expert with decades of experience designing and managing evaluations of education and workforce development programs. He has extensive experience with a broad range of evaluation approaches, quasi- and non-experimental designs, qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods, as well as systematic evidence reviews.

Dr. Lauver has over 25 years of experience as a researcher, evaluator, project director, and technical assistance (TA) provider at the local, state, and federal levels. Her work spans leading initiatives for the U.S. Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CLCC) Program; youth development and out-of-school-time learning programs, including serving families and students with disabilities; and teacher professional development in literacy, mathematics, and science. Additional areas of specialization include culturally responsive research and evaluation studies involving quantitative and qualitative methods. A subject matter expert in P-12 education policy, she has produced extensive bodies of knowledge used by thousands of educators at state education agencies, local education agencies, and charter schools.

Shriya Kalavapudi brings 11 years of experience in dissemination and communication planning and strategy. She has experience with social media management, web and social media analytics, and content development. She also has expertise in communications products and creative materials development, including newsletters, reports, briefs, journal articles, blogs, videos, and infographics. In addition, she has experience with outreach and dissemination, primarily in the federal healthcare space. Kalavapudi translates complex information (health information, data, and research) for audiences of various technical knowledge, including policymakers and practitioners.

Dr. Heinrich Hock is an economist with 19 years of experience conducting research on labor, education, disability, and social insurance. His work focuses on producing results that help policymakers and program staff understand program outcomes for priority populations and research-based options for improving outcomes. He develops rigorous and feasible plans for research designs, data collection and analysis, and dissemination of findings.

Researcher and policy analyst Karin Martinson has extensive knowledge of workforce development and income security policies affecting low-income populations.  With more than 30 years of experience, her research focuses on identifying effective strategies to assist disadvantaged groups seeking to gain a foothold in the labor market. The groups include low-skilled adults, cash-assistance recipients, the long-term unemployed, and those with disabilities or substance use disorders. She oversees Abt’s large portfolio of work at the U.S. Department of Labor and has worked with a wide range of federal and state agencies and philanthropic organizations.  She has led numerous research and evaluation projects, primarily in workforce and income support arena, as a project director, principal investigator, task leader, and content expert. She co-authored more than 50 research reports and briefs and contributed to published volumes on workforce policy. 

Elizabeth Giardino’s evaluation and technical assistance work on housing, community development, asset building, and government innovation policies and programs promotes more equitable access to opportunity and healthy outcomes for people across the U.S. Giardino specializes in leading teams, strategic planning, and relationship building, and has proven expertise in community-based participatory research and incorporating equitable approaches into technical assistance engagements.

Katie Kitchin brings more than 25 years of expertise in housing and human services policy that advances the overall well-being of people and communities. She is a subject matter expert in housing finance/development, technical assistance and training, homelessness, justice, and child welfare housing interventions. At Abt, she directs the company’s state and local housing strategy, and partners with clients, local agencies, and organizations on business development and growth opportunities.

Dr. Jessica Thornton Walker is an accomplished researcher and the leader of Abt’s quantitative methods team who brings 20 years of experience designing and implementing policy-relevant research. She is a recognized expert in large-scale, multi-site evaluations to assess the impacts of social policies and programs in housing and homelessness, child welfare, adolescent risk-taking behaviors, and substance use.In her role as the Quantitative Methods Lead, Dr. Walker is responsible for the management, staffing, budgeting, solutioning, and strategy that guides the work of 120 quantitative research staff and ensures Abt provides high-quality technical delivery and innovative solutions tailored to clients.

Colleen Grogan Moore has over 30 years of experience implementing community development and housing-based programs in collaboration with state and local governments and nonprofit organizations. She has expertise in providing technical assistance (TA) and training, including to recipients of Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) community development, housing, and homeless program funding. She has experience building strong relationships with state and local program grantees and managers and supporting communities in effectively using resources.