Welcome to the Evaluation and Research Team
About the Evaluation and Research Team
The Evaluation and Research Team is a multi-disciplinary unit dedicated to improving the lives of children and families through evaluation and research partnerships with both local and national nonprofit organizations.
We utilize a mixed-methods, partnership-based approach throughout data collection, interpretation, and reporting. Our team is committed to supporting our research and evaluation partners through ongoing communication and collaboration.
The Evaluation and Research Team members have backgrounds in research and practice related to early childhood, K-12 education, and social work.
We Value:
- Listening to family and community voices
- Understanding and reducing disparities, inequities, and opportunity gaps
- Being research-based and innovative
- Letting community needs drive our agenda
- Bringing respect for families and communities, and rigorous research together
- Taking an ecological approach across contexts and the lifespan
- A commitment to community capacity-building
Who We Are
Amanda Brown Cross, PhD, Director of Research and Evaluation. Amanda received a doctorate in Criminology from the University of Maryland. Her research interests and experience are in school-and community-based prevention and intervention and in experimental methods and program evaluation. She has been particularly involved in work with high-risk youth. Amanda has extensive experience working closely with community-based youth- and family-serving agencies in the Pittsburgh region. She has published peer-reviewed research on both qualitative and quantitative analysis of community- and school-based programs.
Andrea Lown, M.Ed., Evaluation Manager, Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning. Andrea is certified as a PreK-12 Principal and Level II Elementary and Early Childhood Educator in Pennsylvania. She completed her principal certification coursework through Point Park University, and she earned a Master of Education Degree in Teaching and Curriculum from Penn State University. Her experience includes serving as a Head Start supervisor and instructional coach and teaching education courses at a community college. She worked as a supervising teacher in a program with children birth through age 5, and she has taught at the elementary level. Her grant work has focused on developing partnerships with families, promoting effective teacher-child interactions, and supporting early childhood professionals with high quality instructional practices and curriculum implementation.
Emily Keebler, MS, Education Evaluation and Data Manager, Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning. Emily began her career as an elementary and middle-grades educator in diverse school settings. More recently, she has been a university-based research fellow and teaching assistant with focuses on child development and program assessment. Emily holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Science in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University. Emily is a parent, volunteer, and lifelong learner who enjoys supporting children and families.
Kyla Blazer, BA, Evaluation Coordinator, Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning. Kyla earned her bachelor’s from American University in Political Science and Communications with a minor in Public Administration and Policy. At American University she created programming and compiled scholarly research on the first-generation population. In former internships at Spectrum, she researched and designed a disability hiring program and at the Red Cross NHQ she helped manage internal communication documents. Personally, she volunteers as an Operations Executive managing internal structure and developing Gen-Z focused policy and advocacy through social media.
Courtney Grondziowski, MS, LBS, Evaluation and Research Manager. Courtney received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Saint Vincent College and master’s degree in applied developmental psychology with a focus in applied research methods for child and youth serving organizations from the University of Pittsburgh. Her experience includes interdisciplinary program research and evaluation, as well as direct practice with neurodiverse populations. Courtney hopes to help improve equitable outcomes across early childhood as part of the Evaluation and Research Team.
Kimberly Goldstein, MPA, Senior Research and Evaluation Supervisor. Kim earned her Master of Public Administration degree, majoring in Public & Nonprofit Management, from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs in addition to receiving her bachelor's degree from Pitt in history and urban studies. Kim’s professional background has focused on supporting children, youth, and families in educational and community settings. Her areas of expertise include early childhood education, community-based research and evaluation, and project management. She is passionate about using data to inform equitable decision making and inspire creative thinking to ensure our most vulnerable populations are given the opportunity to thrive.
Contact ERT
Evaluation and Research Team
ocdert@pitt.edu
