Team

Alex Aguirre consults on project teams in the fields of behavioral health, substance use prevention, and public health. As a Project Consultant, Alex brings her experience in community research and evaluation to inform planning and design, data collection tool development, qualitative data analysis, report writing, and presentation of evaluation findings to diverse stakeholder groups with culturally responsive approaches. Alex supports data collection efforts through the facilitation of focus groups, interviews, and listening sessions in both English and Spanish. In addition to her work at EVALCORP, Alex spends her time in academia as a Teaching Associate at UCI.

Education

Ph.D. Candidate in Criminology Law, and Society – University of California, Irvine

M.P.P. – University of California, Irvine

B.A. in Political Science – University of California, Los Angeles

As a Project Consultant, Gabriela Benitez consults on project teams across the fields of early childhood development, education, and substance use prevention. Additionally, Gabriela supports data collection efforts through the facilitation of focus groups, interviews, and listening sessions in both English and Spanish.

Education

M.P.P.  – University of California, Irvine

B.A. in Criminology, Law and Society – University of California, Irvine

Celina Chao works as a Research Associate I on project teams in the fields of behavioral health, public health, education, and criminal justice. With over five years of experience as an evaluator, she uses her methodological expertise to collect, analyze, and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to inform clients’ decisions and optimize their effectiveness.

Prior to joining EVALCORP, Celina worked in education as a teacher and as a program evaluator. She earned her M.A. in Education with a focus in Social Research Methodology at the University of California, Los Angeles. There, her work focused on programs that support underrepresented communities through education, social service, and youth service programming. Celina has presented at the American Evaluation Association (AEA) multiple times, covering topics such as evaluation project case studies, social network analysis, education research, and instrument validity.

Education

M.A. in Education, Social Research Methodology – University of California, Los Angeles

B.A. in Spanish (minor in Education) – Wellesley College

Certifications

Secondary Teaching Credential

Meghan Elliott supports project teams across the fields of behavioral health and community health. In her role as a project assistant, she contributes to data collection (e.g., surveys, interviews), performs data entry, conducts focus groups, and prepares actionable, user-friendly reports and other project deliverables. Meghan is currently pursuing a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. at the University of California, Irvine, with a focus on risk and protective factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. She is expected to complete her Ph.D. in 2028.

Prior to joining EVALCORP, Meghan worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the USC Keck School of Medicine Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, where she conducted neuropsychological assessments in both English and Spanish and supported diversity and inclusion efforts for clinical trials. Meghan has published several research papers on emotion and aging, as well as the role of cognitive reserve in Alzheimer’s disease. She is passionate about the psychological well-being of older adults and is committed to minimizing health disparities in access to mental health care.

Education

M.A. in Psychological Science – University of California-Irvine

M.S. in Gerontology – University of Southern California

B.S. in Neurobiology – University of California-Davis

Kelly Fischietto works as a Project Consultant primarily in criminal justice related projects. In her role, she leads the development of advanced data analysis tools and oversees comprehensive data collection efforts. Kelly’s expertise includes consulting for the federal government through the Administration for Children and Families. Recently, she has taken on both internal and external evaluation roles, supporting major court and criminal justice systems. She excels in developing data processes and tools for deferred prosecution programs, managing data for comprehensive jail reduction initiatives, creating dashboards to enhance transparency, and handling complex datasets to support decision-making and provide actionable insights for stakeholders.

Kelly began her career as a forensic social worker in Family Court and has worked on numerous federally and state funded justice programs and initiatives. She has spent over 15 years promoting social justice and amplifying the voices of marginalized populations, specifically justice-involved and low-income individuals and families, through program monitoring, evaluation, and community-based and interdisciplinary research.

Education

M.S.W. in Social Work – Columbia University

B.A. in Psychology and Sociology – Boston College

Certifications

Licensed Social Worker

As a Senior Consultant and member of our business development team, Rae Hanstad supports projects focused on policy development, multiagency collaboration, innovative community partnerships, data report cards, and system-level change initiatives. Rae brings over 20 years of municipal and county government experience to EVALCORP, specializing in substance use prevention, mental health, and community health promotion.

While serving as mayor and eight-year councilmember in Ojai, California, Rae advanced the county’s first Social Host Ordinance and launched an interagency taskforce. She has supported numerous youth substance use prevention projects from data- and community informed perspectives and brings decades of experience in environmental prevention to our work. Rae has also authored several influential publications on fentanyl overdose prevention, contributing significantly to research, trends analysis, best practices, and strategic approaches.

Education

Attended Loyola University Chicago

A.A. in Liberal Studies ­– Ventura College

Dr. Alex Ycaza Herrera serves as a Research Associate II, where she leads projects, manages client relationships, oversees project implementation, and offers strategic guidance. She is also an active member of EVALCORP’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) workgroup and the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) workgroup. At EVALCORP, Alex works on projects to support all aspects of the evaluation and assessment process, from methods development to deliverables. With nearly two decades of experience in managing end-to-end research programs, she is a behavioral and cognitive scientist specializing in women’s health, aging, and age-related neurological diseases.

Before joining EVALCORP, Alex led longitudinal research studies and clinical trials on women’s health outcomes across the adult lifespan, focusing on the impact of stress exposure on health in later life. She served as a faculty member at the USC School of Gerontology and secured multiple research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), successfully developing and winning funding for several research proposals. Notably, Alex was among the first researchers to examine how hormonal contraceptives affect stress responses, brain function, and the body’s adaptive systems. She has published research articles and book chapters in the areas of Women’s Health and Neuroendocrinology.

Education

Ph.D. in Psychology, emphasis in Cognitive Neuroscience – University of Southern California

M.A. in Psychology, emphasis in Behavioral Neuroscience – University of Southern California

B.A. in Psychology – University of Southern California

Certifications

Human Subjects Research Certification

HIPPA Certification

Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Certification

Dr. Ian Jantz lends his data analysis expertise on complex projects across the fields of criminal justice and substance use prevention. As a Senior Data Analyst, Ian designs and manages complex data systems with datasets often exceeding millions of cases. He also provides expertise and technical support for intricate data analysis and is EVALCORP’s ‘go to’ when it comes to large, messy administrative datasets.

As an industry thought leader, Ian has published nearly a dozen academic and professional reports on approaches to reentry, recidivism, drug use prevention, addiction treatment, foster care placement, child welfare research, and HIV risk behavior. Additionally, Ian holds accreditation from the National Center for State Courts’ Institute for Court Management as a Certified Court Manager.

Education

Ph.D. in Philosophy, Social Work – University of Illinois at Chicago

MSW – University of Illinois at Chicago

M.A. in Psychology – San Francisco State University

B.A. in Psychology – University of Tennessee

Jen Kalusa is a senior program evaluation consultant, public health professional, and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. With a strong foundation in qualitative and quantitative research methods, she aligns evaluation methodologies with programmatic goals and processes. Jen supports program evaluation in the areas of youth substance use prevention, organized retail theft, early childhood development, and behavioral health. She also serves as a member of our business development team.

Prior to joining EVALCORP, Jen oversaw the implementation and evaluation of substance abuse prevention programs for 8 years. Her clinical background includes utilizing attachment science, trauma-informed practices, and evidence-based therapeutic modalities to provide behavioral health support to children, adolescents, and adults.

Education

M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy – Hope International University

M.P.H. – Loma Linda University

B.S. in Neuroscience – University of California, Los Angeles

Certifications

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

As EVALCORP’s Project and Development Coordinator II, Sally Lee leads and supports client work including evaluation, strategic planning, capacity building, and needs assessment projects. She leads development of evaluation and methodological plans, conducts quantitative and qualitative data collection, and leads key components of report development. Additionally, Sally coordinates and oversees business development activities and web/brand initiatives in support of firm growth. Her professional expertise spans early childhood development, youth substance use prevention, behavioral health, and public health.

Before joining EVALCORP, Sally specialized in marketing and public health, with her previous work including digital health communication, non-profit, and substance abuse prevention. She has also published research articles around eating disorders and treatment.

Education

M.P.H. – University of Southern California

B.A. in Psychology – Johns Hopkins University

Dr. John LeJay II brings over a decade of experience in higher education research and facilitation expertise to his role as Facilitation Consultant at EVALCORP. John specializes in organizing and conducting stakeholder interviews, as well as leading focus group discussions using an equity and inclusive perspective. His work is deeply rooted in his expertise engaging underserved and diverse populations, including Black/African Americans, people of color, the elderly, justice-involved and other populations. John brings subject matter expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles, as well as alcohol/other drugs, tobacco, behavioral health, public health, criminal justice, education, and Title IX to his work at the firm.

Before joining EVALCORP, John held administrative leadership roles in higher education, focusing on student affairs, compliance, policy development, and DEI initiatives. His academic contributions include the publication of his dissertation, which explored the retention and persistence rates of Black identified students through co-curricular involvement at large public institutions.

John’s dedication to equity and inclusion, combined with his analytic skills and research-driven approach, enables him to foster meaningful dialogue and provide insights that help drive positive community outcomes.

Education

Ed.D in Higher Education Leadership – Azusa Pacific University

M.S. in Leadership and Management – University of La Verne

B.S. in Fine and Studio Arts – University of La Verne

Certifications

Investigation Foundations for Higher Education Certification – Association of Title IX Administrators

Investigation Skills and Report Writing for Higher Education Certification – Association of Title IX Administrators

Title IX Hearing Advisors Certification – Association of Title IX Administrators

Title IX Coordinator and Administration, Level Two Certification – Association of Title IX Administrators

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Cornell University

As a Research Assistant, Breena Li conducts literature reviews, performs quantitative and qualitative data analyses, develops and supports the creation of data collection tools, conducts interviews, coordinates and schedules focus groups, and compiles user-friendly reports and other project deliverables. She has experience in econometrics, income fluctuations, behavioral health, criminal justice, substance use among youth, and early childhood.

Prior to joining EVALCORP, Breena worked as a graduate assistant at California State University, Long Beach.

Education

M.A. in Economics – California State University, Long Beach

B.A. in Economics – University of California, Riverside

As a Research Assistant II, Stella Park leverages her expertise in data collection tool development, facilitation of stakeholder interviews and learning sessions, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and report development to support the execution of work plans and implement projects for our diverse clientele. She supports project teams on a wide range of evaluation activities in the fields of public health, behavioral health, and criminal justice.  Stella maintains expertise in Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), Electronic Health Record (EHR) data, and literature review development. Stella brings a strong foundation in codebook creation, syntax development, and evidence-based interventions, along with over five years of experience in project management, quality improvement, and strategic planning to her work.

Prior to joining EVALCORP, Stella served as a Research Project Manager at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, focusing her work on developing and implementing trauma and PTSD-related treatment programs for older veterans residing in rural areas. She has also conducted more than 500 motivational interviews as part of a large-scale COVID-19 project, and spearheaded the creation and supported case management for the COVID-19 Contract Tracing Summit designed to share best practices with 20 major universities.

Education

M.P.H.  – Boston University School of Public Health

B.S. in Health Sciences – Boston University

Tara Parnitvithikul is an applied social psychologist with over a decade of training and experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, including a special focus on survey design and methodology. She has conducted research on how to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness and increase support to individuals affected by mental health challenges.

Prior to joining the EVALCORP team, Tara worked for more than 9 years in the field of clinical research investigating treatments for cognitive and mental health conditions. 

Education

Ph.D. in Basic and Applied Social Psychology – Claremont Graduate University

M.A. in Social Psychology – Claremont Graduate University

M.A. in Clinical Psychology – Pepperdine University

B.S. in Psychology – University of La Verne

As a Senior Consultant, Devan Petersen draws on her extensive experience as an epidemiologist and data analyst to support every stage of the evaluation process. She consults on project teams in the fields of children’s services (0-5), behavioral health, criminal justice, and public health. Devan leverages her expertise in SQL, Python, Tableau, and R to extract, compile, analyze, and present quantitative data. She specializes in creating data dashboards and identifying and analyzing large publicly available datasets.

In addition to her work at EVALCORP, Devan is a Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health Project Lead at NASA overseeing the Epidemiology team-contracted MEI Technologies on their Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health team. Prior to MEI, Devan worked as a Data Analytics Specialist, Quantitative Research Associate, and Data Analyst for organizations ranging from Baylor College of Medicine to First 5 Los Angeles.

Education

M.P.H.– Indiana University

B.S. in Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Administration – University of Minnesota

As a Senior Editor, Shanti Raman ensures that all written reports, briefs, and client materials are of the highest quality, concise, and tailored to client needs. She collaborates with evaluation team members to conceptualize and develop reports, provides technical assistance, and delivers editorial support for research and evaluation products. With over 25 years of grant development experience, Shanti contributes to projects in criminal justice, behavioral health, public policy, child and family welfare, and education.

In addition to her work at EVALCORP, Shanti also consults on project and grant development capacity building work for many community based nonprofit organizations.

Education

M.A. in Applied Social Psychology – Loyola University Chicago

B.S. in Psychology – Loyola University Chicago

As a Senior Consultant, Dr. Tronie Rifkin brings her more than 20 years of experience as an applied researcher and statistician. Her expertise in all aspects of evaluation and research design, instrument development, quantitative and qualitative methods and analysis, and report writing enable her to easily address program evaluation challenges and provide useful information for program improvement and decision-making.

Tronie consults on project teams in the fields of public health, behavioral health, education, and children’s services (0-5). Additionally, she specializes in statistics and large volumes of both quantitative and qualitative data. She also spends her time in academia as a Psychology Professor at Los Angeles Community College.

Education

Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Research Methods – University of California, Los Angeles

M.S. in Psychology – California State University, Los Angeles

B.S. in Russian – Georgetown University

As a Senior Data Manager, Lorena Roque establishes and manages complex databases, provides statistical consultation to clients, and develops actionable recommendations for clients based upon quantitative and qualitative information. She brings over 20 years of experience to EVALCORP with content expertise in criminal justice, substance abuse treatment and prevention, human services, and education, and provides data management on large-scale projects across the fields of criminal justice and substance use prevention.

Lorena has worked on multiple federally funded projects and regularly presents findings from her work with community-based agencies at local and national conferences. She is a member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA), American Society of Criminology, and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), and holds accreditation from the National Center for State Courts’ Institute for Court Management as a Certified Court Manager.

Education

M.A. in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Research and Evaluation – Loyola University Chicago

B.A. in Social Ecology (concentration in Psychology and Social Behavior) – University of California, Irvine

B.S. in Social Sciences (concentration in Research and Analytic Methods) – University of California, Irvine

Certifications

Certified Court Manager – National Center for State Courts’ Institute for Court Management

As a Research Associate II, Dr. Mariana de Santibañes leads and supports behavioral health projects across multiple counties with a focus on community planning, prevention, early intervention, and innovation, alongside her work with Agencies on Aging. She holds a Ph.D in Public Policy from New York University, where she conducted research in the intersections of gender, social, labor, and family policy. Her work has focused on studying the processes by which welfare states recognize, assume, and promote social co-responsibility in caregiving, as well as the conditions that facilitate the emergence of transformative care policies and gender equality policies across the Americas. She also investigated the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on family dynamics and women’s standard of living across ten countries. Mariana brings over 15 years of experience in gender mainstreaming and more than 10 years in researching and designing gender and care policies.

Mariana’s educational background includes a Licenciatura in Philosophy from the University of Buenos Aires and a Masters in Public Administration from NYU, which have provided her with a broad perspective on various disciplines. Before joining EVALCORP, Mariana worked in various roles in research and evaluation, where she actively explored critical topics within her field and dedicated her efforts to addressing the needs and challenges faced by marginalized communities, including Indigenous women, undocumented immigrants, waste pickers, and domestic workers. She has published research articles and book chapters on gender policy and theory, Indigenous leadership, and participatory action research.

Education

Ph.D. in Public Policy – New York University

M.P.A. – New York University

Licenciatura in Philosophy – University of Buenos Aires

As a Project Assistant with nearly 10 years of experience in clinical and academic research, Sarah Stevens plays a vital role in multiple program evaluation and evaluation capacity-building projects. Her responsibilities include conducting literature reviews, assisting in the creation and implementation of data collection tools, facilitating interviews and focus groups, and supporting data entry and analysis. Sarah is also a Health Psychology Ph.D. student at the University of California, Irvine, with academic research focused on markers of risk and resilience in trauma-exposed populations, particularly survivors of childhood maltreatment.

Education

M.A. in Social Ecology – University of California, Irvine

B.S. in Psychology – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

As a Research Associate I at EVALCORP, Dr. Luis Vila-Henninger supports and leads key components of data collection, analysis, and interpretation components of evaluation, needs assessment, and strategic planning projects in behavioral health, healthcare, older adults and aging and qualitative methods.  Luis has been trained in, and has published using, qualitative, quantitative, and experimental methods. He specializes in qualitative methods and abductive analysis. Luis has research experience in criminology, deviance, drug and alcohol use, education, public health, qualitative methods, and decision-making.

Before joining EVALCORP, Luis worked as a postdoctoral fellow at UCLouvain (Belgium) studying how public policy affects public support for the European Union. He then worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Aarhus University (Denmark), where he helped lead a qualitative research project on public attitudes about experts. He has published a book and research articles in the areas of qualitative methods and abductive analysis.

Education

Ph.D. in Sociology (Graduate Minor in Cognitive Science) – University of Arizona

M.A. in Sociology – University of Arizona

B.A. in Sociology (Minor in Business Administration, Cum Laude) – Seattle University

As a Research Associate I, Dr. Gabrielle Walker leads and supports the development of comprehensive reports tailored for decision-makers and the communities they serve. She specializes in program evaluation planning, designing and administering data collection tools, and conducting both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Her project focus spans behavioral health, substance use, public health, and criminal justice.

A dedicated nurse scientist, Gabrielle brings nearly a decade of experience in research methods and community engagement. A registered nurse since 2013 and a licensed family nurse practitioner from 2015 to 2020, certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, her research has centered on the complex relationship between parenting and stroke, as well as the structural and social factors driving inequities in stroke risk among working-age adults.

Before joining EVALCORP, Gabrielle led and collaborated on health equity research projects, partnering with diverse stakeholders to improve outcomes in marginalized communities. She has also contributed to health services research and health policy through published articles.

Education

Ph.D. in Nursing – Duke University

M.S. in Nursing – Winston-Salem State University

B.S. in Nursing – Winston-Salem State University

Certifications

Registered Nurse/Family Nurse Practitioner

As a project consultant, Dr. Sherri Widen brings more than 15 years of mixed-methods research and evaluation experience in developmental psychology and educational and family interventions. She provides consulting expertise in support of EVALCORP’s client projects, specializing in the fields of early childhood education and development, behavioral health, social emotional learning, school and family interventions, and law enforcement. She is skilled at designing data collection tools, conducting quantitative and qualitative data analyses, and developing presentations and reports that support client goals and objectives.

In addition to her work at EVALCORP, Sherri also consults on educational interventions, curriculum efficacy studies and social-emotional learning programs.

Education

Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology — Boston College, Newton MA

M.A. in Developmental Psychology — University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC

B.A. in Psychology — University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC

As President and Principal Consultant of EVALCORP, Kristen assists agencies in determining current and future needs, measuring the impacts of programs and initiatives, and providing planning and development services for maximized effectiveness.

Kristen began her career as an internal evaluator for county and state government where she not only assessed the impacts of numerous government funded programs, but also became acutely aware of the complex environments in which programs and public policy originate. She maintains decades of subject matter expertise in the fields of behavioral health, criminal justice, public health, education, children’s services, and organizational development. She brings her pragmatic, utilization-focused and empowerment-centered approach to her love of evaluation, strategic planning, and needs assessment work – and is humbled by the incredible work EVALCORP’s clients engage in on a daily basis.

Education

Ph.D. in Applied Social Psychology – Loyola University Chicago

M.A. in Applied Social Psychology – Loyola University Chicago

B.A. in Psychology with Business Administration Minor – St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

Ken Tomlinson is a strategic CFO, with experience that spans corporate and government financial functions, treasury management, human resource, marketing, and sales. Ken’s background includes several industries such as product development, membership-driven businesses, private equity, and venture capital. Ken also gained exposure to a multitude of diverse B2B and B2C product-led companies through his experience advising start-up hardware companies.

Education

B.A. in Political Economy – Juniata College

As EVALCORP’s Lead Accountant, Amber Wenninger supports all aspects of Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and Payroll, while working closely with the CFO on finance activities such as preparing and analyzing financials, budgeting, and assisting with KPIs that drive informed business decisions for the firm. Amber brings nearly 20 years of accounting experience across a wide range of industries, including Healthcare, Legal, Nonprofit, and Corporate sectors. Amber enjoys collaborating with clients and internal teams to streamline processes, maximize efficiencies, and support the company’s growth objectives.

Education

B.S. in Accounting – Midstate College

Microsoft Excel Certified

As EVALCORP’s Business Analyst, Marcus Gayton implements and supports business process improvements firmwide, ranging from enhanced technology and software to BI and AI tools to optimize internal and day-to-day operations. He brings years of experience working as a business analyst for government agencies – automating processes, improving workflow, and assessing departmental opportunities to increase overall effectiveness and efficiencies.

Before joining EVALCORP, Marcus worked as a telecommunications manager where he increased customer service levels and satisfaction following a 14-year career in the United States Marine Corps.

Education

M.I.S./B.A. in Information Systems with Business Analytics minor – University of Phoenix

B.S.A. in Accounting with Taxation Minor – University of Phoenix

Certifications

N+ certification

Six Sigma certification – Green Belt

Google Guru certification

SAS certification

AWS certifications

SQL certifications

Kaggle certifications in Data Science

As a Planning and Development Consultant, Andrea Holmes brings over a decade of project management experience at the intersection of public policy, infrastructure development, and digital strategy. She supports EVALCORP’s business development team by reviewing and responding to RFPs, identifying opportunities for growth, and serving as a housing and urban planning specialist, with a focus on monitoring funding programs related to housing and homelessness. Andrea is an accomplished writer, urban planner, and policy expert, with training in human-centered design. She applied this expertise at the municipal level, leading the procurement and design of Toronto’s first digital payment platform, serving over 3 million residents. Her contributions earned her the Toronto City Manager’s Award of Excellence in 2021 for government service transformation.

Andrea also has extensive experience organizing and facilitating stakeholder consultations with diverse communities across all levels of government. Prior to joining EVALCORP, she managed proposal writing and oversaw a multi-year, multi-million-dollar grant with the U.S. Department of Transportation on behalf of the University of Southern California. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Andrea’s early experience as a Legislative Page at 13 sparked her dedication to making a meaningful impact. Her passion for creating livable, healthy cities continues to drive her success.

Education

M.U.P. – University of Southern California

M.P.P. – University of Toronto

Dr. Valerie Wieskamp brings more than 20 years of experience in communication and design consulting to EVALCORP. As Senior Development Consultant, she provides guidance on our printed and digital communication, public outreach, and visual identity. She also provides communication consulting for client reports and publications, presentations, community-facing information, trainings, and public education and outreach materials. Valerie has content expertise in criminal justice, education, and gendered violence, and has worked in the nonprofit, private, and higher education sectors.

In addition to her time with EVALCORP, Valerie teaches university classes on communication, persuasion, race, and gender. She regularly presents findings from her research on public advocacy and media at local and national conferences.

Education

Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Public Culture – Indiana University, Bloomington

M.A. in Multicultural Communication – DePaul University

B.F.A. in Graphic Design – Iowa State University

As Senior Development Consultant, Shayla Wilson has been a key member of EVALCORP’s Development Team for over five years. She contributes to identifying new business opportunities, designing and submitting proposals, communicating with potential clients, and preparing fulfillment staff for new projects. Shayla also brings content expertise in public health, behavioral health, education, tobacco control, substance use prevention, and criminal justice.

Before joining EVALCORP, Shayla taught research methods at the University of California, Irvine, and collaborated with the Center of Evidence-Based Corrections to evaluate a criminal justice re-entry program in Los Angeles County. She currently teaches at UC Irvine on state legislative processes and works as a policy advisor in the criminal legal field, with over four years of experience addressing issues at the intersection of homelessness, mental and behavioral health, substance use, and socioeconomic factors contributing to incarceration. Shayla has also published research on pretrial reform policies and social equity in collaboration with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars.

Education

M.P.P. in Public Policy – University of California, Irvine

B.A. in Sociology with an emphasis on social inequality – University of California, San Diego