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Dr. Lianne Fisman is an experienced researcher and a recognized expert in qualitative and mixed method research design, and analysis. She specializes in evaluating and strengthening programs that support economically disadvantaged individuals and communities. Dr. Fisman currently leads Abt’s Qualitative and Mixed Methods sub-capability. During her tenure at Abt, Dr. Fisman has served as project director and task leader on projects related to a variety of policy areas, including housing, youth and community development, education, and financial wellness.

Nichole Fiore is a Principal Associate with over 15 years of experience evaluating housing and homelessness programs across the country, developing deep expertise on homeless service systems, organizational capacity, political and community will, unsheltered homelessness, and permanent supportive housing. Recognizing the critical link between stable, safe housing and overall well-being, Fiore is proven leader bringing together stakeholders who work across many jurisdictions and sectors to address the needs and improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness. She is a regular source for media outlets, often on the topic of homelessness in California.

Dr. Caroline Logan is a senior associate and health services researcher with over 15 years of experience in policy-focused mixed methods evaluation design, rigorous data collection and analysis, and development of integrated mixed methods reports and deliverables. Her expertise in federal and state health policy includes Medicare and Medicaid financing and delivery systems, care transformation and system integration, maternal health, the health and well-being of children, and the intersection of health and housing.

Dr. Karen Gray-Adams is an educational psychologist with nearly 25 years of experience in research and technical assistance. She provides capacity building and technical assistance on K-16 education and other policy issues, strategic planning, and mixed-methods research. She is a team leader and researcher who engages partners and helps build capacity to create solutions at the local, regional, state, and national levels. She also works directly with community-based organizations, providing one-on-one coaching in holistic and participatory evaluation methods.

Eduardo Castellon has two decades of experience helping public sector clients—from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to the Department of Housing and Urban Development—grow and refine their operations and impact. He has extensive experience delivering consulting expertise focused on artificial intelligence (AI), supply chain, procurement, financial management, and advanced analytics. His technological, consultative, and entrepreneurial skills help clients find new ways to address challenges ranging from affordable housing to homelessness to guaranteed income. He also has extensive expertise in technical assistance and implementation (TA&I) approaches. And his management experience includes developing high-performing teams through skills and career development and succession planning.

Dr. Satyendra Prasad is the Principal Technical Lead for Abt’s climate initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region. Dr. Prasad is a diplomat and governance expert with over two decades of governance experience across international organizations, including the United Nations (UN), World Bank, and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) – now known as the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Leah Dyson brings over two decades of experience within human services and the pursuit of health and well-being as a strategic planner, organizational and business developer, partnership builder, and facilitator. She has expertise in behavioral health and direct community programming. Dyson has worked on technical assistance, implementation, capacity-building, organizational transformation, and qualitative evaluation efforts with a number federal agencies and partners, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Veterans Health Administration (VHA). She also has worked within academic, nonprofit, and local government spaces, implementing informed and practical responses to organizational and community needs and bridging stakeholder perspectives.

Joan Chahenza is a renewable energy finance and policy expert with more than a decade of private and public sector experience in on-grid and off-grid renewable energy. Her main areas of expertise are financial modeling and structuring of power generation projects, government and regulatory stakeholder management, technical advisory services for renewable energy enterprises, and contract negotiation for power purchase agreements and geothermal drilling contracts.

Dr. Janet Gordon has over 20 years of experience in designing, directing, and conducting research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects aimed at improving the health and well-being of adults, youth, and children in the U.S. and its territories. She has partnered with federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education to build and evaluate programs focused on teaching the next generation of STEM professionals. She has implemented and evaluated state programs for working with, State Education Agencies, colleges/universities, and private foundations. Dr. Gordon is skilled in innovative database solutions to create new insightful knowledge for federal, state, tribal, and local agencies for evidence of effectiveness to inform policy, cost effectiveness, and best practices.

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 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.