Graduate Student and New Evaluators
Rachel Cruz, MPH
Evaluator I
Professional Data Analysts, United States
Faiza Hassan, MPH
Associate Evaluator II
Professional Data Analysts, United States
Maggie Sullivan, MA
Evaluator I
Professional Data Analysts (PDA), United States
Location: White River Ballroom D
Abstract Information: For new evaluators, translating theory into practice may feel like jumping off the proverbial cliff. Visionary evaluators like Stafford Hood provide us with strong grounding in the practice of developing culturally responsive evaluations: when we evaluate programs meant to help a specific community, we aim to incorporate the stories of those community members. However, evaluators often face political, social, and logistical barriers that stymie our ability to bring theory into practice. This roundtable’s objective is to center the objectives put forth by Stafford Hood and related scholars (Hood et al., 2015) and, in doing so, highlight the responsibility of the evaluator to authentically honor and uplift voices of marginalized communities in their work. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss how they prioritize cultural responsiveness and the incorporation of community voices into their evaluations, as well as share challenges and successes they have experienced in bringing these values into practice.