Team

Patrik Lundh, Ph.D. – PI

Senior Education Researcher, SRI Education
patrik.lundh@sri.com
Patrik Lundh is an anthropologist and qualitative researcher who uses a range of qualitative methods and complex systems science to study educational phenomena. Dr. Lundh is the Principal Investigator of the CI-STEM project as well as the case study lead. Read More.

Carrie Allen, Ph.D. – Co-PI

Assistant Professor, University of North Texas, College of Education
carrie.allen@unt.edu
Carrie’s work focuses on addressing institutional and systemic inequalities within STEM education by supporting the design and implementation of STEM learning reforms. Prior to her role at UNT, Carrie worked as a STEM education researcher at SRI. On CI-STEM, Carrie leads research examining the make up of the after school system, system dynamics, and sensemaking processes that inform workplace decisions and practices. She also co-leads the case study research. Read More

Andrea D. Beesley – Co-PI

Senior Principal Education Researcher, SRI Education
andrea.beesley@sri.com
Andrea D. Beesley has more than 20 years of experience designing and leading large research, evaluation, and design and development projects. This includes more than 15 years of experience on IES-funded projects, such as REL Central, REL Pacific, and REL Appalachia, leading three IES NCER research grants, and serving as the co-PI of the National Evaluation of the Comprehensive Centers. She focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), digital learning, motivation, and rural education. As an educational psychologist and instructional designer, she conducts experimental and mixed methods studies of STEM program efficacy and development studies of new programs. Her background as a classroom teacher informs her focus on research in partnership with practitioners. Read More

Bowyee Gong

Research Associate, SRI Education
bowyee.gong@sri.com
Bowyee Gong has extensive research experience in program implementation and evaluation. Her research areas and interest topics range from after-school programs, STEM education, pre-school education, and educational technology. For the CI-STEM project, she is involved in project management, data collection, and data analysis.

Shelia Arens

Ph.D. Executive Director: Research, Evaluation & Technical Assistance, McREL
sarens@mcrel.org
Sheila Arens, Ph.D., has extensive knowledge of research design, instrument development, program and policy analysis, and program evaluation theory. She has over twenty years of basic and applied research experience working in a variety of public and private sectors. Dr. Arens holds a doctorate in Inquiry Methodology with emphases in program evaluation and educational policy studies from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Chris Thorn

Chief of Program & Partnerships, Partners in School Innovation
cthorn@partnersinschools.org
Chris Thorn joined Partners in School Innovation after being the Director of Knowledge Management for the Carnegie Math Pathways at WestEd. Before his time with the Carnegie Math Pathways, Chris spent more than five years as a senior researcher and director at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Chris joined Carnegie after 19 years as a researcher and director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Chris received a B.A. in economics and German language from Indiana University; M.A. in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; M.A. in international relations from The Johns Hopkins University, Nitze School of Advanced International Studies; and doctorate in sociology from the University of Bielefeld, Germany.

Keith Monfreda

Director of Professional Development and Engagement, Indiana Afterschool Network
kmonfreda@indianaafterschool.org
A Native Hoosier, Keith graduated from Herron School of Art in 2001 and served as a Peace corps volunteer in Ghana. He returned to Indianapolis in 2005 and joined the out of school time world. For 13 years he was creating content, training staff and having fun with kids in afterschool and summer programs. Keith joined the Indiana Afterschool Network in 2018 to help develop local, state and national partnerships, support high-quality OST experiences for youth and professional growth for those dedicated to working with youth. When not thinking about out of school time Keith is a practicing artist and can often be found on the trails at parks around Central Indiana.

Dr. Andi Fletcher

Consultant
DrAndiASP@aol.com
Dr. Andi is a nationally recognized expert in program, policy and fund development, with 24 years of experience supporting the development of public/private partnerships, organizational leadership teams and local, state and national policies impacting the lives of low-income children and their families. As the Founding Director of one of the nation’s first premier Expanded Learning Programs, she initiated California’s first comprehensive afterschool legislation, which resulted in $730 million in annual After School Education and Safety (ASES) funding. More ▸

Beverly A. Parsons

Executive Director, InSites
bparsons@insites.org
Beverly Parsons is executive director of InSites (www.insites.org) and was the 2014 president of the American Education Association. She is committed to fostering health and well-being for people and planet. She has worked national and internationally in diverse settings, and with governors, legislators, local communities, philanthropy, and business across social sectors. She has worked especially in education, social services, health, and environment. Her PhD in research and evaluation (University of Colorado-Boulder) grounds a career of engagement with complex systems in support of learning, equity, and sustainability.

Patricia Jessup

Senior Consultant, InSites
pjessup@insites.org
Patricia Jessup is a senior consultant with InSites. She is also the director of Jessup & Associates, LLC, a Michigan-based research and evaluation organization focusing in the areas of education, social services, health, and the environment. Active in the field of evaluation for over 20 years, she uses a systems orientation in her evaluation work and helps others in learning this approach. Pat frequently partners with other organizations in her evaluation work. Pat holds a Ph.D. in Education (University of Michigan), an M.S.W. (University of Michigan), and a B.A. in Social Work (University of Wisconsin-Madison).

Jared Boyce, Ph.D. – Co-PI

Senior Education Researcher
Jared Boyce is a quantitative education researcher specializing in using adult and student data to better understand instructional practices, education leadership, and data use in schools. He has firsthand experience building researcher-practitioner partnerships that empower educators in collecting, interpreting, and taking action on their own data through sustainable processes and improvement science. Learn More

Mindy Hsiao

Research Associate
Mindy Hsiao holds a Master’s in Education Policy from the University of Washington, Master’s of Arts in Teaching from National Louis University, and B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Creative Writing from Northwestern University. She has taught 6th grade in Chicago Public Schools, as well as trained teachers and administrators in Washington state on a special education compliance software.

Tim Podkul, Ph.D.

Senior Education Researcher
Tim Podkul is an applied anthropologist by training, his specialization is in mixed-methods research design with a theoretical and methodological expertise in social capital and social network analysis. Tim’s current research focuses on modeling social relationships in informal and formal settings that facilitate knowledge sharing and engagement in interest-driven learning. His experience includes assessment and evaluation of collaboratives and networks, informal science education partnerships, organizational analysis, cross-setting learning, and efforts to scale up research and bridge the gaps between research and practice. Learn More

Rebecca Johnson

Research Assistant, University of North Texas
Rebecca Johnson is a Ph.D. Candidate in the department of educational psychology at the University of North Texas with a concentration in gifted & talented education. She has an Ed.S. in educational psychology, gifted & creative education from the University of Georgia and an M.Ed. in curriculum & instruction, elementary education and reading from University of West Florida. Read More