Our Team

Anthony is a jack of all trades and a master of some, with a background in behavioral design, child welfare, public policy, and fine arts. As someone with personal experience of foster care, public housing, juvenile justice, and safety net programs, Anthony brings lived expertise to his systems change work in the nonprofit and public sectors. He spent almost 9 years at the applied behavioral science firm ideas42, where he led the economic-justice portfolio, and over 10 years in child welfare, spanning positions from direct service to system improvement. Anthony is a 2018 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow, and holds an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School, where he was a Gleitsman Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership, an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, and a BA from UMass Boston.

Tamar is an attorney with expertise in harnessing policy strategies to improve outcomes for communities in need. She focuses on actionable innovation in public and private sectors, with demonstrated success in driving federal and state policy change. As Chief Policy Officer at Nurse-Family Partnership from 2006-2017, she helped secure $1.5 billion in federal funds to create the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program and mobilized $30 million in public and private funding to expand services for families in South Carolina’s Pay for Success initiative. Prior to NFP, Tamar helped launch the New York Academy of Medicine’s Child Health Forum and advanced policy work at the New York March of Dimes and American Academy of Pediatrics.

Ben is a systems leader focused on the intersection of technology, product, analytics, and the social sector. His primary focus is on enhancing the impact of health and human services systems, particularly those that support children, youth, and families. He has extensive experience advising across disciplines and sectors, working with clients to create programs and technology solutions. He has worked previously at Partners for Our Children, Accenture Consulting, and UC Berkeley. He holds an MSW and MPA from the University of Washington.

Jennifer Brooks is an independent consultant, providing advice and support to philanthropy, nonprofits, and governments. She specializes in the use of evaluation, metrics, and evidence-based practice to amplify the benefits of programs for children and families. Most recently, Dr. Brooks served as Senior Program Officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, helping to shape the foundation’s strategic investments in high quality public early learning programs. She received her Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University and a MA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago.

Cedric is committed to high-quality, evidence-driven program implementation and continuous improvement. With experience in project and operations management, program implementation and analysis, and ecosystem development, he collaborates with diverse stakeholder groups, including communities, federal and state agencies, nonprofits, research institutions, and funders. Previously, Cedric worked on large-scale projects for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and USAID as a Senior Program Associate at Winrock International. He also served as an Agricultural Extension Volunteer in the U.S. Peace Corps, leading grant-funded climate-smart agriculture and education projects in northern Ghana to improve outcomes for farmers and students. Cedric holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration from the London School of Economics and is a graduate of Bowdoin College.

Sarah Di Troia is an expert in crafting strategy and operations to drive high growth in nonprofit and for profit organizations. Her experience as an investor, advisor and leader fuels an approach that integrates market insights with the internal change management necessary to realize new opportunities. Sarah is known for teasing order out of the creative chaos of growth and innovation. Prior to joining Project Evident as a Senior Advisor, Sarah was Chief Operating Officer at Health Leads and a Managing Partner at New Profit, Inc. She earned her MBA from Harvard Business School.

Linh (Phoebe) Doan is committed to using data-driven practices to improve student outcomes. Phoebe completed her Ph.D. in Comparative International Education at Columbia University in 2021. At Columbia, she taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses in quantitative methodology, public opinions in education, sociology of education, and large-scale international assessments. Before joining Project Evident, Phoebe worked as a data analyst at the National Center for Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST) in New York where her projects focused on high school to college transition and education equity for low-income students in Michigan. Phoebe holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, master’s degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a PhD in Comparative Education from Columbia University.

Kelly is a committed social innovator. Previously she served as Vice President/Chief Program and Strategy Officer at the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation (EMCF) where she led policy innovation, evaluation, grantmaking, and the early capital aggregation pilot. Prior to EMCF, she co-founded Leadwell Partners and New Profit Inc., and held senior leadership positions in nonprofit organizations and served on several foundation and social sector boards and advisory committees. Kelly currently serves as a Leap Community Ambassador and is a member of Results for America’s Invest in What Works Federal Standard of Excellence Advisory Committee and EDSAFE AI Alliance’s Steering Committee. A graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Fitzsimmons holds an MBA from Boston University.

Meron Fikru’s passion for criminal justice is evident in both her personal and professional experiences. She is an experienced social policy researcher who has worked across sectors, including intergovernmental, non-governmental, and nonprofit organizations. Prior to Project Evident, she worked with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, researching the intersections between public health and criminal justice policy. She also supported Harm Reduction International in a research project examining global policy and legislative responses to the COVID-19 crisis in prisons. Meron studied in the Netherlands and the UK where she specialized in criminal justice policy with a focus on drug policy. She received her MSc in Criminal Justice Policy from the London School of Economics and her BA in Law, Societies, and Justice from the University of Washington.

Mary is passionate about using data to improve child health programming. Mary started her career as a fifth-grade English teacher with Teach For America, where she learned to push for systemic solutions to educational disparities. She went on to work in the child welfare system as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, connecting families with resources and centering families’ lived experiences in court. She holds a BA in Journalism from Ithaca College and an MPH with a certificate in Child, Youth and Family Health from Columbia University, where her capstone thesis focused on reframing the role of parents in early childhood programming to advance child health equity.

Diana has a wealth of experience for driving positive change in the nonprofit sector, with a proven track record in leadership and consulting across nonprofit, entrepreneurial, and private equity realms. She has a deep understanding of business development across all stages of the organizational life cycle, guiding organizations through transitions with a keen focus on fostering growth, sustainability, and impact. Diana served as a trusted financial advisor to Project Evident before coming on as Chief Operating Officer in 2024. Diana previously held positions as Chief Financial Officer, Director of Strategic Business Analysis, and Director of Finance for Crittenton Hastings House and boasts over a decade of service in the private sector, where she held key roles such as Investor Relations Specialist at Wasabi Venture Partners Family of Funds, Angel Management Funds, and Controller at Triumph Investment Funds. In these capacities, she administered numerous angel and boutique investments through all stages of their life cycle, handling intricate details from research and investor relations to SEC reporting and capital management. She is a graduate of Colby College, and has her Masters in Accountancy from Bentley University.

Matt speaks the language of program implementation and program evaluation. He is an effective analyst and communicator who has experience assessing and implementing social sector interventions. Prior to joining Project Evident, Matt was an Analyst at Abt Associates where he specialized in analyses and primary data collection of extended learning time interventions in K-12 education. He earned an MPP from the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy and a BA in Economics from Bowdoin College.

Megan believes that everyone deserves access to the tools and resources needed to thrive, and she is eager to help schools better serve their students through evidence-based practices. Prior to joining Project Evident, Megan worked as the Food Service Administrator for a charter school district in Philadelphia. She is a passionate advocate for food justice and access, filling community fridges during her off-hours. She has earned a BA in Anthropology from Temple University and an MS in Education from the University of Pennsylvania where her Master’s paper profiled deficiencies in the physical infrastructures of schools and their impact on student performance and self-efficacy.

Joel is an independent consultant who helps her nonprofit clients advance their missions by connecting strategy, measurement, and resource development. Prior to launching her consulting practice in 2016, she worked in evaluation, grant writing, and foundation relations roles at the national education nonprofit Citizen Schools. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology & Anthropology from Carleton College and a master’s degree in Sociology & Social Policy from Harvard University.

Betina is the founder and principal consultant of Arc of Evidence LLC, which works with social change agents to create, assess, and continuously improve interventions that promote equity and social justice. She was previously Senior Managing Director of Research and Evaluation at the Harlem Children’s Zone, where she built the organization’s noted culture of data and continuous program improvement. Over the years, she has led evaluations of many programs, and provided guidance to foundations, municipalities, federal agencies, and communities about policies and programs relating to health, place-based, and educational interventions. In line with her commitment to “ensure do-gooders actually do good,” she focuses on the importance of the continuous use of data and keeping practitioners and educators at the center of learning and decision making. She created a guidance document for President Obama’s poverty-fighting Promise Neighborhoods program to replicate the HCZ model. A first-generation immigrant and college student, Betina earned a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia and M.S., M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in Developmental Psychology from Yale.

Greg is an experienced data-driven project manager who has worked to implement multiple evidence-based programs to address systemic inequities in communities across the United States. He is passionate about innovative approaches that utilize data and evidence to improve outcomes in resource-limited environments. Prior to joining Project Evident, Greg worked to expand healthcare access in rural and urban communities in the Mountain West. He managed a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant through Columbia University Medical Center, worked at the Sorenson Impact Center managing Pay for Success transaction structuring and feasibility projects, and recently published two research articles exploring the impacts of COVID-19 on international populations. Greg holds a BS in Finance and an MPH from the University of Utah, and an MSc in health economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Kaylan is a passionate educator who is devoted to ensuring that learners of all ages have access to high-quality educational experiences. Kaylan is skilled at conducting educational research for school districts, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. She has developed and delivered professional learning for hundreds of teachers and administrators across the country with companies such as Scholastic and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, as well as Harvard Graduate School of Education. Kaylan earned a B.A. in English from Spelman College, M.Ed. in Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the University of Pittsburgh.

Joseph is passionate about using data analysis for improving student outcomes and ensuring that everyone has equitable access to education. As an undergraduate, he wrote his senior thesis on matriculation decisions for minority students, focusing on low-income and first-generation college students. Prior to joining Project Evident, Joseph was a graduate student and a teaching assistant where he taught students ranging from high school students to mid-career professionals in courses such as data analytics, cost benefit analysis, and program evaluation. Joseph earned a BA in economics and statistics from Carleton College and an MPP from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy concentrating in policy analysis.

Ahmad is looking forward to applying his background in business in service of practitioners working to improve outcomes for underrepresented communities. Ahmad brings a wide array of experience from both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. His areas of experience include: an extensive thesis-based mentorship focused on financial analysis, as well as experience in procurement and sourcing. Before joining Project Evident, Ahmad worked as quality assurance manager for the Salvation Army in their Community Integration Services department. During this time, he innovated data management processes, devised and executed auditing procedures to ensure program compliance, supervised check request approval process, and performed monthly and quarterly reporting to internal and external stakeholders. Ahmad holds a BA in Finance from Endicott College.

Shannon believes in the power of data-informed decision making to strengthen student outcomes. Prior to joining Project Evident, Shannon served as Coordinator of Curriculum and Data at the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve in Ohio. Her position included serving as a Regional Data Lead for the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, as well as various district roles, including Director to Federal Programs, District Test Coordinator, and grants manager. She is also passionate about organizational alignment and has served in leadership roles for strategic planning, branding, and communication. Shannon completed her undergraduate degree at Hiram College, her Masters in Educational Administration at John Carroll University, and Experienced School Leadership Endorsement from Concordia University Chicago. 

Gabriel brings great energy to the challenge of building evidence, improving programs, and enhancing community outcomes. For nearly two decades he has approached this work from the various perspectives of funder, evaluator, and nonprofit service provider at organizations such as Friends of the Children and Public/Private Ventures. Shaped by his background as an Ombudsman and a court mediator, his work relies on careful communication to facilitate understanding across audiences and drive action. Prior to joining Project Evident, Gabriel was Director of Evaluation and Learning for the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. Gabriel is also the co-founder of the Emmy-nominated immersive film collective BBQ Films. He earned his MBA from Columbia University, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago.

Stephen brings extensive experience as an AI and digital strategist and social impact leader whose career has focused on leveraging technology to address social and environmental challenges. Stephen previously served as Chief Digital Officer at Benefits Data Trust and Chief Program Officer and Chief Technology Officer at Charity Navigator. He is also the founder of HumanServices.ai, which leverages AI to improve the way human services are delivered to ensure that communities receive the support they need. Stephen has built AI-driven products and models for social impact, advised federal and state governments on AI policy, and currently sits on the Partnership for AI’s Global Task Force for Inclusive AI. He holds an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management, and a BS in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University.

Anna’s unwavering commitment to cultivating educational opportunities underscores her belief in the profound impact schools can have on shaping brighter futures for communities. Anna joins Project Evident with a diverse background in K-12 education administration and nonprofit advocacy. She carries a deep-rooted passion for leveraging education as a transformative force in the lives of children and families. Anna’s impactful journey extends to the nonprofit sector, where she has lent her expertise to support C-level executives in their mission to foster resilient leaders within public education. Anna holds a BS in Education and Teaching from Castleton University.

Dustin is committed to amplifying stories and strategies that create positive social change. Prior to joining Project Evident, Dustin spent seven years at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, where he developed thought leadership materials and donor resources, managed the organization’s external communications and partnered with a wide range of funders and social entrepreneurs on building a global culture of effective giving. Dustin has a BA in International Relations from Brown University.

Mariko has spent her career helping mission-driven organizations use communications to amplify impact. She was formerly Director of Communications & Partnerships at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and previously managed communications at impact investment pioneer Acumen. She started her career in financial services, developing philanthropic and educational programs for high-net-worth individuals (with a brief stint as an English-language reporter for Japanese television). She serves on the board of Nonprofit New York. Mariko has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

Bi is an experienced education policy professional who is committed to a practical approach to building evidence and improving outcomes and opportunities for students. She is the author of “Strategic Budgeting: Using Evidence to Mitigate the ‘COVID Slide’ and Move Toward Improvement” (2020), a contributor to Opportunity and Performance: Equity for Children from Poverty (2021), and one of the leaders featured in Taking Charge of Change (2021) by Paul Shoemaker. Before joining Project Evident, Bi was the Director of Proving Ground at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University where she worked with a network of states and districts to address issues such as ed tech effectiveness and chronic absenteeism. She also launched the National Center for Rural Education Research Networks, bringing evidence-building capacity to districts in rural NY and OH. Prior to Proving Ground, Bi served as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer at the School District of Philadelphia; she has also held positions at the Data Quality Campaign and EducationCounsel, LLC. Bi currently serves on the board of the Academic Development Institute. A graduate of Kenyon College, Bi also holds an MPA from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.

Kathy is an applied statistician with a deep commitment to improving student outcomes. Prior to joining Project Evident, she held various roles in higher education, including as an admissions representative. Her research experience in analyzing longitudinal education data, evaluating e-learning platforms, and building machine learning models has equipped her with a robust foundation in quantitative analysis and text mining. Kathy holds an M.S. in Education Data Science from Stanford University and a B.S. in Education Policy Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Go Badgers!).