About the AGEP National Research Conference Series

Leslie Goodyear is an EDC distinguished scholar, an internationally recognized expert in evaluation, and past president of the American Evaluation Association (AEA). In her 20+ years as an evaluator, she has developed deep expertise in qualitative inquiry, evaluation ethics, culturally responsive evaluation, evaluation storytelling, evaluation capacity building, evaluating out-of-school and informal STEM education programs, and building communities of practice.

In addition to her evaluation work, Goodyear has led multiple projects that include capacity building; hosting dynamic, engaging conferences; facilitating communities of practice and learning; and bringing together experts across disciplines to collaborate to advance knowledge. She is committed to contributing to a deeper understanding of effective approaches to fostering equity and access in STEM education. Her prior work includes serving on the leadership team of the NSF ITEST STELAR Center, PI of the evaluation of the NSF Broadening Participation in Computing-Alliances Program, PI of the NSF AGEP Evaluation Capacity Building Conference, and Co-PI on the NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub.

Previously, as a National Science Foundation (NSF) program officer, Goodyear helped build organizational evaluation capacity and was a commissioner of evaluations. She has served as the Ethics Section editor and associate editor of the American Journal of Evaluation and has been an AEA board member and chair of its Ethics Committee. Goodyear holds a PhD and MS in Program Evaluation and Planning from Cornell University and a BA in developmental psychology from Macalester College.

Sophia Mansori, a research scientist at EDC and program evaluator, strives to deepen understanding of the ingredients of successful educational innovations in domestic and international settings. Sophia leads and co-leads evaluations that advance knowledge of strategies to improve STEM education, out-of-school time learning, youth development, organizational development, and student-centered learning, paying particular attention to issues of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. She developed a deep appreciation for and knowledge about the AGEP Program as the project director for the program’s Evaluation Capacity Building Conference.

In addition to her work on the AGEP National Research Conference Series, Sophia manages the evaluations of the Amgen Biotech Experience Program and Illinois’ 21st Century Community Learning Center program and leads EDC’s work as the evaluation and learning partner for FIRST’s LEGO League Challenge. Sophia has conducted research and evaluation work for the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s, including evaluations for the Board on Science Education and the Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN). She holds a BA from Tufts University and an MEd from Harvard Graduate School of Education and is a member of the American Evaluation Association.

Evangeline Ambat is an experienced technical assistance specialist, evaluator, and project manager. She has extensive expertise in building capacity to strengthen formal and informal public education systems internationally and domestically. She also leads and supports communities of practice.

Ambat is the lead online community manager for the national network of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) INCLUDES initiative, which seeks to broaden participation in STEM careers. She advances the goals of EDC’s NSF-funded AGEP Evaluation Capacity Building Conference (ECBC) project to build the capacity of AGEP evaluators. She also co-leads REL Northeast & Islands at EDC initiatives to build the capacity of Vermont supervisory unions to make evidence-based decisions.

Ambat is a co-director and a board member for Calcutta Kids Trust. Prior to EDC, she was a consultant at the Child in Need Institute (CINI), and she trained state government representatives to improve health and education policies for adolescent girls.

Ambat holds an MEd in education, policy, research, and administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and an MA in applied psychology from the Rajabazar Science College of Calcutta University.

Pradipti Bhatta is a project associate at Education Development Center (EDC) where she manages key aspects of projects and brings expertise in research communications, social media strategy, website management, accessibility, data visualization, and community engagement. She advances the goals of multiple initiatives that seek to improve the quality and equity of education.

In her recent work, Pradipti co-managed the National Science Foundation-funded INCLUDES Coordination Hub website and served as the social media manager for the project. She also supported various network engagement and capacity building activities for the project and online community of over 4000 members. Pradipti holds an MA in liberal studies (international/global studies) from Dartmouth College and received her BA in English from Colby-Sawyer College. She is fluent in English, Nepali, and Hindi.

Morgan Easterly, project coordinator, specializes in communications, teaching English writing and literacy, and literary studies. She also has experience in instructional design and team management. She is passionate about furthering educational equity to advance opportunities for everyone regardless of race, gender, or class. Easterly contributes her writing and management skills to EDC’s STEM Learning and Research Center (STELAR) and the evaluation of an initiative that promotes the use of high-quality instructional materials in underserved communities across Massachusetts. Working closely with colleagues, she helps advance business development goals, draft communications, oversees database management, and contributes to the development and strategic dissemination of materials. Before joining EDC, Easterly was a doctoral student at Tufts University.

Sara Greller is a senior research associate and program evaluator at EDC. Greller has experience with evaluation and technical assistance projects working with federal agencies, schools, museums, libraries, and community-based organizations. Greller has a passion for working with programs that aim to engage youth from diverse backgrounds in informal STEM learning opportunities and has expertise in supporting stakeholders’ capacity building on projects that aim to broaden participation in STEM fields.

Specifically, Greller has extensive experience and knowledge of designing and implementing evaluation plans, designing qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, conducting data analysis, report design, and communicating and supporting clients in making meaning of evaluation results. Greller holds a BS in political science from University of Massachusetts Amherst, and an MS in environmental studies from Antioch University New England.

Candace M. Kyles, EDC research associate, has experience in educational research, data collection and analysis, organizational and program evaluation, K–12 education, and higher education. Kyles also has expertise in culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy and faith-based education. Trained in culturally responsive and equitable evaluation through the American Evaluation Association Graduate Diversity Internship program, she has cultivated her skill set in equity-based evaluation and research, particularly for marginalized communities.

Kyles advances multiple initiatives that focus on improving educational and health outcomes. She contributes to EDC’s Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate Evaluation Capacity Building Conference project, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. She also collaborates on several projects that focus on innovative approaches to promoting educational equity and behavioral and public health.

Kyles will complete her EdD in curriculum and instruction at Loyola University Chicago in 2024. She holds an MA in systematic theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a BS in economics from Northern Illinois University.

Tracy McMahon, an experienced researcher, evaluator, and community engagement specialist, is dedicated to ensuring high-quality education for all students and engaging families in education. She has experience helping projects build evaluation capacity, providing technical assistance to programs working to broaden participation in STEM, and researching the impacts of career academies on students’ learning outcomes.

McMahon has expertise in designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative studies. She specializes in survey design and implementation; qualitative data collection techniques, such as interviews, focus groups, and observations; and statistical data analysis and data visualization.

Previously, McMahon worked for a public school system and private university and established a parent information center. She sits on the board of a family literacy program. McMahon holds an MEd in educational research, measurement, and evaluation; an MA in higher education administration; and a BA in communication and sociology from Boston College.

As a project associate, Pilar manages the meeting and event planning needs of multiple projects using her excellent customer service and analytical skills. Her responsibilities include coordinating services, member management, accounting, and various administrative tasks. She has been with EDC since 2015 and has worked on projects that include the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative, Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (NSF), and REL Northeast & Islands at EDC. Before joining EDC, Pilar worked for more than 20 years as a travel consultant for a local travel agency servicing EDC’s travel needs.

Pilar holds a BA in communications from Suffolk University, and she is fluent in Spanish. She loves traveling and is constantly looking for a new adventure.

Alyssa Na’im is a research scientist at Education Development Center (EDC) where she leads initiatives that build capacity to advance equity and quality in education, particularly science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in formal and informal learning settings. She brings more than 20 years of experience conducting applied research and program evaluation, providing training and technical assistance, and managing projects from initial concept to final implementation. She draws on her personal and professional experiences to inform her dedication to improving educational opportunities for historically marginalized populations.

Na’im’s recent work leading network engagement and capacity building on the NSF-funded INCLUDES Coordination Hub involved building a community of practice focused on broadening participation in STEM education and workforce development. In her prior work on the NSF-funded ITEST Learning Resource Center (now STELAR), she led evaluation and other technical assistance to support the development of culturally responsive activities designed to enhance K-12 students’ and teachers’ STEM content knowledge and skills. Na’im is the evaluation co-lead for the Army Education Outreach Program (AEOP), a portfolio of in-school and out-of-school time STEM education and workforce development programs spanning kindergarten through graduate level. Na’im received her master’s degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and earned her bachelor’s in chemistry from Spelman College.

Maria Belinda (MB) serves as an official scholar of the Graduate Education Diversity Internship Program from the American Evaluation Association. Her academic journey is driven by a deep-seated passion for community engagement and meaningful change. In this project, Maria Belinda will be working on collecting background information to inform evaluation, logistics designs, as well as any other tasks assigned considering culturally responsive practices. MB is also an enthusiastic first-generation graduate student currently pursuing her PhD in human development and family science at The University of Arizona. In her academic pursuits, MB is dedicated to the field of program evaluation, reflecting a holistic approach to making a lasting impact in underrepresented communities. Her mission is to unlock the full potential of underrepresented communities facing adversity and create positive, lasting change within her community and her service in evaluation, policy, and research. As an emerging scholar, MB is excited to contribute to the NSF’s core principles, bridging her academic knowledge with practical approaches for community betterment.