PUBLIC POLICY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Affiliated Consultant
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Vice Chair of the Environmental Commission for Meridian Township
Anna Colby has extensive experience in public policy development, research, and evaluation. She focuses on food systems and anti-hunger policy and has additional experience in the areas of health care, immigration, education, workforce, and criminal justice. Ms. Colby's skills include both quantitative and qualitative research methods. She has also received training on implicit bias and brings an equity lens to her work.
Ms. Colby's food policy work has included research to inform the development of food assistance programs and policies and evaluation of the impacts of nutrition and food access programs. Prior to joining PPA, Ms. Colby worked as a policy advocate where she was instrumental in the development and passage of a California state legislation that increased access to school meals for over 650,000 low-income students.
Clients value Ms. Colby's commitment to her work, policy expertise, and ability to communicate complex topics in a clear and concise manner.
Education
Ms. Colby earned master's degrees in public policy and in geographic information science and technology from the University of Southern California.
Ms. Colby is the Vice Chair of the Environmental Commission for Meridian Township; a board member of the Eastside Lansing Food Co-op (ELFCO), a market for local foods and small farm products; and on the Engagement Committee for the Michigan Good Food Charter, a roadmap for Michigan's food system that is rooted in local communities and centered on good food.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate
- Research Associate I
Ms. Reichel is a skilled coordinator, researcher, and facilitator with strong experience in qualitative data collection and analysis, survey design, and reporting.
Her areas of interest include program evaluation and development in the juvenile and criminal justice systems, creating equitable systems change, and the impact of policy on outcomes for diverse populations. She prioritizes utilizing culturally responsive and equitable approaches in her work.
Before joining PPA, Ms. Reichel facilitated collaborative monitoring and evaluation activities with nonprofit organizations in her internship roles at Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center and Child and Family Charities. Her work included designing and implementing surveys, logic models, and data-collection protocols. She contributed to community-based research examining health equity, with her work including qualitative data management and analysis. Ms. Reichel also was an assistant with Michigan State University's Adolescent Diversion Program (ADP) where she instructed undergraduate students working with youth involved in the juvenile justice system and managed student reporting systems.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Affiliated Consultant
Chris Andrews has more than 30 years of experience writing about major policy issues and consults with clients on communications issues.
At PPA, he produced the Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative eNews and has written extensively about MPRI and the Michigan Campaign to End Homelessness. He has also assisted in developing and implementing communications strategies.
Mr. Andrews has extensive knowledge of communications, public policy, and the political process. As political editor of the Lansing State Journal for 21 years, he covered three governors and reported on the major policy issues facing the state. He received the Morgan O'Leary Award for Excellence in Political Reporting as well as a Michigan School Bell Award for reporting on school finances.
Mr. Andrews also worked as business editor and news editor, overseeing the State Journal's copy desk. He developed the newspaper's style manual and chaired its diversity committee for many years.
He has also written articles and provided editing services for a variety of organizations as an independent communications consultant. In addition, he has taught journalism at Michigan State University and served on panels teaching new political leaders how to communicate with the public.
Education
Bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Independent Consultant
- Affiliated Consultant
- Senior Advisor for Education and Communications to Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm
Chuck Wilbur is an independent consultant in education policy. He has worked extensively on the development and growth of the Michigan Promise Zones, place-based college scholarship programs inspired by The Kalamazoo Promise but funded through local resources and state tax capture. He provided technical assistance as the zones launched (beginning in 2010) and assisted with the formation of the Michigan Promise Zones Association in 2016.
As the senior advisor for education and communications to Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, Mr. Wilbur played a central role in developing and implementing key policy initiatives. He developed and implemented the Governor's education reform agenda, including the establishment of the nation's most rigorous high school graduation requirements and the creation of the Michigan Promise Scholarship. He also was a key advisor to the Cherry Commission, which developed bi-partisan policies for increasing college attendance and degree completion in Michigan.
Before joining the Granholm administration, Mr. Wilbur held key leadership positions with U.S. Senator Carl Levin, including serving as his state director and chief of staff and campaign manager in 1996 and 2002. In 1992, Mr. Wilbur became a consultant to the Detroit Public Schools and organized a statewide coalition of urban, suburban, and rural school districts in support of a school finance equity proposal. After completing his undergraduate and graduate studies, Mr. Wilbur served as a school media specialist in the Westwood Community School District in Wayne County, Michigan.
Education
Mr. Wilbur holds a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in educational media from the University of Michigan. He was an Education Policy Fellow at Michigan State University in 2002.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor for the Leading for Equity
- Affiliated Consultant
Dr. Barnett is skilled in qualitative data collection and analysis, focus group facilitation, research design, leadership development, and assessment. As a P-20 education researcher, Dr. Barnett has strong communication skills ideal for connecting with myriad audiences.
Dr. Barnett brings an expertise in elevating student and community voices to his work. His research investigates transformative leadership and advising practices in P-20 education space. He has advised student leaders in K-12 schools and higher education institutions in cultivating spaces where they can grow into active, responsive, and ethical leaders who drive change.
Dr. Barnett serves as adjunct professor for the Leading for Equity and Justice certificate program at Eastern Michigan University and has worked in student affairs in higher education at both University of Michigan Ann Arbor and Flint campuses. Further, Dr. Barnett has led and co-led numerous student and community voice projects throughout the state of Michigan.
Dr. Barnett's skills and background are ideal for clients wanting to gain nuanced perspectives of the communities they aim to serve in critical and co-constructed ways.
Education
Ph.D. and Ed.S. (educational specialist degree) in educational leadership and master's in higher education/student affairs from Eastern Michigan University. Bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing, University of Michigan-Flint.
Ms. Graber is a skilled facilitator, researcher, and manager. She excels at leading projects requiring complex coordination and the development of unique products.
Her interests include the intersection of education and workforce development, innovation in the public sector, and equity in student and adult outcomes. She specializes in qualitative research, with an emphasis on engaging diverse voices.
Ms. Graber has led research, evaluation, and strategic planning projects for clients in the education (early childhood through higher education), workforce development, and housing sectors. Her work has included conducting rigorous evaluations of state-level initiatives, providing support to public-private partnerships, and creating research-based guides. She came to PPA in 2002 and has held various roles within the organization. Prior to joining PPA, Ms. Graber taught at the secondary level and served as an adjunct community college faculty member.
Clients value her ability to move a project forward smoothly and to synthesize information into actionable insights.
Education
Ms. Graber earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in U.S. history from the University of Michigan and University at Albany - State University of New York. She received her teacher education training at Michigan State University.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate
- Research Associate II
Craig Van Vliet brings strong quantitative skills to his research, including experience in data management, survey design, and regression analysis. He is working on projects across policy areas at PPA.
Prior to joining Public Policy Associates, Mr. Van Vliet was a data manager for the Wayne State University School of Medicine, where he worked for the epidemiology core in the Department of Oncology. He also worked as a marketing research specialist at DFCU Financial. His work included designing and analyzing customer surveys, performing post-hoc tests to measure marketing campaign effectiveness, and creating predictive models for forecasting.
Clients benefit from Mr. Van Vliet's interdisciplinary work experience. He has worked in the fields of medicine, banking, market research, sociology, and economics.
Education
Mr. Van Vliet has a bachelor's degree in economics, with a double minor in statistics and mathematics, from Grand Valley State University. He has a master's degree in economics with an emphasis on econometrics from Wayne State University.
Dan is an experienced policy professional, organizational leader, public speaker, and group facilitator. He has expertise from a multitude of perspectives and is skilled at developing, coordinating, and implementing policy-relevant research in collaboration with policymakers, academics, and small business and nonprofit leaders. He has experience building consensus, fostering coordination across organizations, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders.
He currently manages multiple policy-related projects for nonprofit, philanthropy, corporate, and public-sector clients across the talent and economic policy areas. Dr. Quinn draws on his nearly 20-year career as a classroom teacher to inform all of his work.
Prior to joining PPA, he served as executive director for the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice, where he oversaw a nationally recognized policy research agenda. He has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville and Oakland University. In 2019, Dr. Quinn was appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to serve on Michigan's A-F Peer Review Panel.
Dr. Quinn currently serves on the board of directors for the Mid-Western Educational Research Association (MWERA).
Clients value his ability to provide customized, adaptable consulting services; giving his clients new and deeper understanding to enhance their programs, practices, and policies.
Education
Dr. Quinn holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Oakland University, a master's degree in education from Saginaw Valley State University, and a bachelor's in social science from Bowling Green State University.
Dave Campbell's 35-year career as an educator has always been focused on building hope, skills, and a plan in his students. Starting as a middle- and high-school social studies teacher, coach, bus driver, and Model UN Advisor laid a firm foundation of student-centeredness and the impact educators can have on young people. Serving as a high-school principal for eight years, local superintendent for 11 years, and ISD superintendent for 11 years helped Mr. Campbell develop a keen understanding of the impact public policy has on the lives of young people and educators.
Mr. Campbell's leadership style is principle-centered, collaborative, and facilitative. He seeks to understand the root causes of issues in order to identify actions that will have the greatest impact on young people and the educators who serve and lead them. Building a balanced and shared understanding of issues and bringing groups of people to consensus has been a hallmark of his leadership since he was a social studies teacher.
Mr. Campbell has a deep understanding of how to best use the skills of consultants to leverage positive outcomes for young people-having employed and learned much from consultants in his leadership as a superintendent in areas such as leadership development, continuous improvement, strategic planning, program and personnel evaluation, and policy efforts (the passage of 10 millages). Furthermore, while serving as Superintendent of Kalamazoo RESA, Mr. Campbell played a key leadership role in the re-design of their system of Career and Technical Education (CTE), which will help build hope, skills, and a plan for young people. He was instrumental in securing funding for the program through his efforts to pass a CTE millage and obtain a $100-million donation to build a world-class CTE Center.
Education
Mr. Campbell earned his master's degree in educational leadership from Illinois State University. He attained his bachelor's degree in education from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater earning his 7-12 certificate in history and social studies.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Associate
- PPA Senior Research Associate
Dr. Zuschlag brings an array of knowledge, skills, and perspectives from his extensive professional experience in law, teaching, and research to produce quality studies focused on public policies and programs for a range of audiences and decision-makers.
He excels in qualitative research, from its design to data collection and analysis to interpretation and reporting. His research interests have spanned many areas of education policy, including school and teacher quality and accountability, school culture and organization, and the history, philosophy, and politics of education and educational systems. He enjoys multi-disciplinary methods and examining policy interactions and effects.
As a PPA senior research associate, Dr. Zuschlag has played a variety of research roles involving research design, data collection and analysis, and reporting in projects around planning, policies, and practices in such areas as postsecondary education, child care, workforce development, and housing.
Dr. Zuschlag's experience prior to joining PPA includes serving as an education and labor law attorney, litigator, and counsel in private practice; being a high school teacher, teacher leader, and instructional coach/staff developer; and conducting doctoral research.
Dr. Zuschlag strives to make key contributions to the rigorous research and actionable results that will effectively meet each client's particular needs and proactively inform their decisions going forward.
Education
Dr. Zuschlag earned his Ph.D. in educational policy from Michigan State University, where his dissertation examined the interactions between and effects of teachers' interdependent participation in professional communities and teacher evaluations. He also holds a master of arts in education and a juris doctor degree from the University of Michigan; he earned his BA from Duke University.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate
- Research Associate II
Dr. Brinda Athreya brings to PPA experience in data management and analysis, including spatial analysis, participant recruitment, and community engagement.
Dr. Athreya excels in spatial analysis, storytelling using maps, and cartography. Her areas of specialization are food policy, food sovereignty, agriculture, human geography, environmental justice, and qualitative methods.
Prior to joining PPA, Dr. Athreya worked on research projects related to food and food distribution, including for the Open Food Network. Through a USDA grant, she helped to create a course on Canvas that helped people to create farmers market hubs to support local communities facing food insecurity. As a geospatial data analyst for Our Sci, LLC, she stratified data from various organizations and offered customer support with technical details for the web application. At the University of Toledo, she surveyed farmers of Monroe County, Michigan, developed an ArcGIS online help book for students, and trained 20 high school students in geospatial technology. In her work as a research associate for the School of FreshWATER Sciences, she collaborated with teachers to set up the Aquaponics moving library, which included information about sustainable food systems.
Clients benefit from Dr. Athreya's attention to detail, strong communication and facilitation skills, and her ability to synthesize findings from various research methods into actionable recommendations.
Education
Dr. Athreya received her doctorate in spatially integrated social sciences from the University of Toledo, Ohio and has a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Affiliated Consultant
- Expert
- Treasurer of the Michigan Nurses Foundation
Dr. Laurence S. Rosen is a recognized expert in health care policy in the United States and its relationship to demographic and workforce trends.
Dr. Rosen was the project manager for a major assessment of health care workforce trends in Michigan for the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth. He headed an evaluation of graduate nursing education at San Francisco State University.
Dr. Rosen also has considerable experience in educational research as well as demographic and workforce trends. He served as a task leader for PPA's evaluation of the U.S. Department of Labor's Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative. He conducted an evaluation of the community schools program in eight Grand Rapids area schools for the Kent Intermediate School District.
Prior to joining PPA, Dr. Rosen was a long-time faculty member in public administration at Western Michigan University and was senior director of the Data Services Department at the Michigan Health & Hospital Association. He was also Michigan's first state demographer, serving during the Milliken and Blanchard administrations. Dr. Rosen has published a number of articles in both the academic and popular presses, including The Joint Commission Journal on Quality Improvement, American Demographics, and Michigan Medicine.
Education
Doctorate and master's degree in sociology from the Pennsylvania State University. Bachelor's degree in sociology from Queens College of the City University of New York. Management training at the University of Michigan and executive training at the American Management Association in New York.
Also notable: Dr. Rosen serves as the treasurer of the Michigan Nurses Foundation and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Southeast Michigan Census Council.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Affiliated Consultant
Mr. Burris' strengths include designing survey studies and quantitative data analysis, including linear regression and structural equation modeling.
He has expertise in taking a mixed-methods approach to examining the mindsets individuals develop to make meaning of academic and adverse experiences. He also seeks to understand the role of cultural contexts (e.g., social class, race) in shaping academic achievement and well-being for individuals of diverse backgrounds. As part of his internship at PPA, he is applying his expertise to projects, engaging in two-way learning with staff, and developing an issue brief.
In his doctoral program, he has contributed to and led research projects across diverse populations, including African Americans, Native Americans, college students, and individuals from working-class backgrounds. He has also collaborated with school districts to examine the respective roles that parents, teachers, and students have in shaping well-being and school outcomes. He has mentored undergraduate students through the completion of their honors theses.
Jasmina Camo-Biogradlija possesses strong analytical skills, experience in community engagement and management, and a core belief that education and research can contribute to stronger communities and the common good.
As the project manager for the Education Policy Initiative of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, Dr. Camo-Biogradlija serves as the senior researcher on the evaluation of Michigan's first-dollar need-based aid programs funded by the Institute of Education Science (IES), U.S. Department of Education and leads the evaluation of the Michigan Comprehensive Literacy State Development (MiCLSD) Grant with the Michigan Department of Education, which is designed to increase children's literacy rates across all ages from birth to grade 12.
Her prior research with PPA included an evaluation of Title II contracts for the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice, contributing to the data and evaluation team supporting economic and community development in Battle Creek through the BC Vision project, and an evaluation of the U.S. pilot of the Teen Connect training program for parents, aimed at addressing permanency for teens, and improving parent efficacy for foster and birth families. She has also been engaged in the evaluation of Department of Labor Workforce Innovation Fund grants.
Dr. Camo-Biogradlija holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University, a master of public policy degree from Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and bachelors' degrees in English language and literature, and Spanish language and culture from the University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Founder of PPA
Jeffrey D. Padden, the founder of PPA, brings a rich and unique combination of legislative, administrative, and private-sector experience to public policy, positioning him to provide valuable strategic consultation and pragmatic advice to PPA's clients.
He has assembled a talented team of researchers and supported their growth to build PPA into a nationally recognized leader in public policy research, development, and evaluation. Since founding PPA in 1991, he has led multiyear, multisite evaluations for clients such as the U.S. Department of Labor, the Ford Foundation, and the James Irvine Foundation. Mr. Padden has designed and led technical assistance and training programs for public agencies and nonprofits. At the state and national levels, he has guided clients in the development of new strategies, policies, and initiatives.
Mr. Padden has directed and conducted respected research in economic development, education and workforce development, criminal justice, health care, and philanthropy. He is considered a national expert in strategic planning, performance benchmarking, and evaluation, and has hosted and addressed numerous conferences, seminars, and workshops dealing with a wide range of public policy issues and innovations. Mr. Padden has also written many nationally recognized reports and publications.
Mr. Padden has more than 35 years of experience in the public policy arena, including 10 years as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, where he chaired the House Corrections Committee. In addition, he served as deputy director of the Michigan Department of Commerce and director of the Governor's Human Investment Project. To each of those roles, he brought a strong focus on research and data-driven decision making.
Education
Master's degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Bachelor's degree from Wayne State University.
Mr. Padden served as president of the Michigan Association for Evaluation from 1999 to 2003.
Ms. O'Neal has extensive experience in administrative management and accounting. She is also experienced in training staff in various topics.
Ms. O'Neal is an effective communicator, both verbal and written. Her areas of interest include organizational efficiency and human resource and accounting best practices. She also has an extensive background in youth development, focusing on the development of life skills.
Prior to joining PPA, she was the lead person in charge at BJ's Wholesale Club where she oversaw all aspects of running the retail establishment when assigned the manager on duty role, performed daily cash office tasks, and trained team members. She previously owned her own business, O'Neal's Odds and Ends, where she was in charge of all aspects of running the business. She has also served as a program coordinator for the College Advising Corps at Michigan State University, an elementary aide at Lansing Christian School, a youth extension educator for Michigan State University Extension where she oversaw the Eaton County 4-H program, and an emergency communications technician for the Lansing Police Department.
Clients appreciate Ms. O'Neal's attention to detail and her ability to clearly communicate regarding all aspect of project billing/accounting.
Education
Ms. O'Neal has a master's degree in animal science from Missouri State University. She has a bachelor's degree in animal science from Michigan State University.
Ms. O'Neal served as the treasurer for the East Lansing Band and Orchestra Parent Association for over four years.
Larry Merrill is recognized as one of Michigan's most knowledgeable and influential experts on local government, governance, financial oversight, and effective leadership. He is a leader of Public Policy Associates' new Center for Local Solutions, which helps clients achieve public policy goals and lead for success.
Mr. Merrill worked for the Michigan Townships Association for nearly 40 years, including 19 years as its executive director. He represented the state's 1,240 townships in Lansing and Washington, D.C., building close relationships with executive and legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle. He was involved in shaping state and federal policy and helping townships respond to it.
He also has expertise in helping local governments find regional solutions to big issues such as economic development, service sharing, and placemaking, and he has also helped many not-for-profit entities build strong leadership teams.
Mr. Merrill earned a national reputation for local government leadership and served as president of the National Center for Small Communities and president of the National Association of Towns and Townships. He also served on the American Society of Association Executives' Finance and Administration Council and Executive Management Section Council.
He has written extensively on local government. Selected examples include the "Survival Guild to Local Government" and "Political Implications for Intergovernmental Cooperation." He has taught local government management classes on budgeting, personnel administration, and leadership development to help build stronger communities with more effective services. He has also taught governance and leadership seminars for not-for-profit entities.
Previously, he worked directly for local and county governments in Clinton and Montcalm Counties as a county emergency management director, emergency medical services director, and general county administration. He also served as an elected member of the Grand Ledge Board of Education, including three years as president.
Education
Bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in multidisciplinary social studies, focusing on political science and economics. Master's of public administration degree from MSU, focusing on public policy analysis and program evaluation.
Mr. Merrill is a Certified Association Executive. He was given the Award of Excellence in Association Finances and Administration from the American Society of Association Executives, received the Strategic Leader Award from the Michigan Society of Association Executives, and was inducted into the Michigan Association Executive Hall of Fame.
Mary ("MaryBeth") Talbot has extensive experience designing and managing applied research projects and program evaluations. Her primary area of focus is education, but she has interest and experience with criminal justice and health-related research, programs, and policies. Trained as an experimental psychologist, Dr. Talbot has expertise in experimental designs, quasi-experimental designs, and survey research. She is well-versed in a variety of quantitative analytic methods (e.g., multiple regression, ANOVA, structural equation modeling [SEM]), and has a passion for mixed-methods designs. As a social psychologist, Dr. Talbot is skilled at identifying and measuring implicit bias, explicit bias, as well as other psychological constructs. She has a deep commitment to equity and applies it to all aspects of her work.
Prior to working at Public Policy Associates, Dr. Talbot held research positions at Loyola University Chicago and the University of Chicago conducting applied research and evaluation of STEM education programs. She worked at Stanford University evaluating the efficacy and quality of charter schools. Additionally, Dr. Talbot taught research methods courses to undergraduates and parlays skills she learned during her teaching experience to helping clients and stakeholders understand research and evaluation methods and processes.
Clients value her attention to detail, ability to tailor research and evaluation designs to clients' needs, and her ability to distill and describe complex findings to diverse audiences.
Education
Dr. Talbot earned her Ph.D. in applied social psychology from Loyola University of Chicago, and her bachelor's degree in philosophy with a minor in political science from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Michael J. Polzin has extensive experience working on a wide range of issues to increase employment opportunities and outcomes for job seekers, and improve the quality of working life for working people and the effectiveness of organizations that employ them, He is a skilled facilitator and qualitative researcher with expertise in strategic planning, organizational development, labor-management relations, and continuous process improvement.
Dr. Polzin has played an important role in PPA's workforce development business, including evaluation projects through the U.S. Department of Labor's Workforce Investment Fund (WIF) and Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program. He was project manager for the evaluation of four advanced manufacturing initiatives: a TAACCCT Round Four grant awarded to Danville (VA) Community College to increase regional capacity in precision machining technology; a WIF Round Three grant awarded to Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board to create a demand-driven manufacturing pipeline; a TAACCCCT Round Two grant awarded to Fox Valley (Wisconsin) Technical College, and a National Science Foundation grant awarded to Piedmont Virginia Community College. Dr. Polzin also served on the team evaluating the Virginia Financial Success Network, a WIF Round Two grant awarded to the Virginia Community College System and was project manager for the evaluation of the Ohio Business Resource Network Expansion, a WIF Round One project awarded to the Workforce Initiative Association, and several other workforce-related projects.
Prior to joining PPA, Dr. Polzin was an associate professor with the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations at Michigan State University where he worked extensively with businesses, labor organizations, workforce agencies, and others to help businesses prosper and workers succeed.
Dr. Polzin continues his work with Michigan's Business Solutions Professional Certification initiative that prepares those engaged in workforce and economic development to apply a demand-driven approach to help businesses thrive and create and retain jobs.
Job Titles:
- Director for Healthy Communities Policy
- Director for Healthy Communities Policy 517 - 481 - 4583
Dr. McCrohan has provided project management, technical support, data analysis, and reporting on a variety of health, place, and workforce issues during her career. She has designed and managed numerous research and evaluation projects at PPA.
Clients value the fresh perspective, flexibility, and appreciative guidance that Dr. McCrohan brings to each project collaboration.
Education
Dr. McCrohan's doctoral training was from the ecological-community psychology program at MSU, which is focused on applying rigorous methodology, community-based participatory research, and contextual knowledge, to solving persistent social problems.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Associate
Ms. Winans has extensive experience in the synthesis and visualization of data, as well as in qualitative evaluation design, data collection, analysis, and reporting. In addition to these functions, she works to ensure that PPA's work is accurate, compelling, and of high value to clients.
Her policy areas of interest include urban revitalization and placemaking. Ms. Winans also has many years of experience in the evaluation of projects related to workforce development, food systems/food security, philanthropy, and social equity.
Ms. Winans has provided research, reporting, and data visualization services for numerous multiyear, multisite evaluations on a variety of topics. In addition to these evaluation services, Ms. Winans has led the research components of strategic planning projects for many organizations. She makes major contributions to projects at all phases, from initial conceptualization to research design, primary and secondary data collection, analysis, synthesis, and reporting, as well as group facilitation and planning.
In all of her projects, Ms. Winans plays a key role in the interpretation and reporting of research findings in formats that are carefully designed and customized to meet client needs while fulfilling PPA's high quality standards.
Education
Ms. Winans holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in urban and regional planning from Michigan State University.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate
- Member of the American Evaluation Association
- Research Associate II
Ms. Haight is a skilled researcher, coordinator, and field liaison. She excels at assessing government-funded programs and guiding research design with culturally appropriate measures and approaches.
Her interests include investigating topics such as criminal and juvenile justice, education, and public health from an ecological perspective. She is also interested in understanding and revealing the intersections within systems and works to provide quality research that informs decision-makers about these intricacies.
Ms. Haight has been involved with multiple topics at PPA including criminal and juvenile justice, education and workforce, and healthy communities. Her work includes tasks in research design, data collection and analysis, project coordination, focus group facilitation, interviewing, and interpreting and reporting. She has worked on evaluations for philanthropic as well as state and federally funded programs. Ms. Haight is also pursuing a doctoral degree in political science with a concentration in public policy and research methods.
Prior to working with PPA, Ms. Haight was a field liaison for the Adolescent and Diversion Program (ADP) at Michigan State University, instructing and coordinating undergraduate students in qualitative research methods and interviewing with adjudicated youth. She also helped instruct and coordinate the Advancing Community Empowerment and Social Justice (ACES) laboratory at Michigan State University, which aims to understand how social determinants contribute to inequity in underserved communities and investigate the community processes that facilitate positive social and environmental change.
Clients value her ability to relate with others and her willingness to assist projects at any stage in order to produce quality research.
Education
Ms. Haight earned her bachelor's in psychology from Michigan State University and her master's in program evaluation from the college of social science at Michigan State University.
Ms. Haight is a member of the American Evaluation Association, Michigan Association for Evaluation, and the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA). She has presented at the international SCRA conference in Ontario Canada (2017) and has a published manuscript in the Sexuality Research and Social Policy academic journal (2019).
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Associate
Dr. Frausel is an experienced applied researcher and program evaluator with strong knowledge of education systems and quantitative methods (e.g., descriptive, inferential, multilevel, causal). She has extensive experience preparing written reports, briefs, and presentations for diverse audiences, including government agencies, education agencies, nonprofits, community organizations, and academics.
A developmental psychologist by training, Dr. Frausel has deep subject-matter expertise in cognitive development, language development, and early childhood education. Her academic research draws on socio-cultural theories of development to examine how children's early language and home environments impact their later outcomes in school and beyond. Other research areas include personal narrative/storytelling, empathy, socio-emotional learning, school climate, and peer mentoring.
Dr. Frausel worked at Penn State Behrend as an assistant research professor prior to coming to PPA, where she lectured and served as the associate director of research and evaluation at the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, and Evaluation (CORE). She has also worked as a consultant and freelance researcher for the nonprofit organization Narrative 4, for which she helped design a measurement framework that quantifies the impact and value of the nonprofit's activities for desired outcomes.
Across her projects, Dr. Frausel emphasizes the applicability of research findings to real-world settings. In addition, she is deeply committed to promoting educational access and equity.
Education
Dr. Frausel holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in comparative human development from the University of Chicago. As an undergraduate, she double-majored in English and psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder.
In 2022 Rob Fowler became Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Public Policy Associates (PPA). He brings to PPA more than 35 years of experience in the public policy arena as an association CEO and a board member of various organizations focused on business, health care, education, and housing.
Before PPA, Mr. Fowler held the position of president and CEO for the Small Business Association of Michigan for 21 years. Before that, he served as the executive director of the Council of Smaller Enterprises at the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. He also has served on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (first Board Chair), Michigan Society of Association Executives (Chair), Michigan Health Insurance Access Advisory Committee (Chair), National Small Business Association, and Michigan State Housing Development Authority. He also served on the Steering Committee and as a co-chair of Launch Michigan, a statewide coalition working toward transformational K-12 education reform.
He has led several organizations through strategic planning and implementation of resulting plans and aids clients in leading through reflection on mission, vision, goals, and strategy. Mr. Fowler is skilled at coaching leaders through change, policy issues, and partnership development.
Education
Mr. Fowler holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Ball State University.
He served on the Haslett Board of Education from 2004-2014.
Job Titles:
- Affiliated Consultant
- Research Fellow With the Wheelhouse
As a consultant, Dr. Linden brings to PPA a background in higher education research and analysis, as well as around data management. Dr. Linden's expertise showcases the impact that data can have around higher education, painting a picture of need both from the perspective of the student as well as that of the college.
Since 2021, Dr. Linden has served as a research fellow with the Wheelhouse: The Center for Community College Leadership and Research where he conducts quasi-experimental analysis and manages large administrative datasets (on topics including demographics, enrollment, and outcomes of students in community colleges in California). He also teaches a workshop in data management for graduate students interested in community college data. Clients appreciate his strong background in research, grant management, data management, and data analysis around higher education, both nationally and on the state-level.
Education
He received his Ph.D. in Education and his M.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of California, Davis. Before that he received his B.A. in public policy from the University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Director for Justice Policy
- Director for Justice Policy 517 - 481 - 4303
- Member of the American Evaluation Association
Mr. Burroughs is a skilled researcher and project manager with expertise in program evaluation, strategic planning, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and reporting.
He has extensive experience facilitating and evaluating system changes to improve outcomes in the areas of criminal and juvenile justice, philanthropy, and diversity and equity.
Mr. Burroughs has designed and led numerous research and evaluation projects for PPA. His work has included rigorous program evaluations, benchmarking analysis, and technical assistance to build evaluation capacity and support the implementation of evidence-based practices. Prior to joining PPA, Mr. Burroughs was associate director at the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency, where he led agency projects aimed at improving policies and practices within the criminal justice system.
As a careful observer and creative problem-solver, Mr. Burroughs is adept at providing clients with the actionable insights and support needed to advance their goals.
Education
Mr. Burroughs received his master of social work from the University of Michigan and his bachelor of science in social work from Xavier University.
Mr. Burroughs is a member of the American Evaluation Association and the Michigan Association for Evaluation.
Robert Kleine is one of Michigan's leading experts on state and local tax and finance policy. He served as Michigan's state treasurer from 2006 to 2011. He is part of the research team of Public Policy Associates' Center for Local Solutions.
Mr. Kleine has extensive experience analyzing and shaping a multitude of public policy issues, including state and local government budgets, economic forecasting, tax policy analysis, and school organization and finance.
He served as director of the Michigan Treasury Department's Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis, and was vice president and senior economist at Public Sector Consultants. He also served as the interim director of the MSU Center for Local Government Finance and Policy from September 2016 to June 2018.
Education
MBA from Michigan State University. Bachelor's degree in economics and history from McDaniel College in Maryland.
Job Titles:
- Communications Associate
- Expert in Microsoft Office
- PPA 's Communications Associate
As PPA's Communications Associate, Mr. Southard oversees the social media and marketing outreach of PPA, acting as a voice for PPA.
Mr. Southard also fulfills other roles as well at PPA, assisting as an editor and research assistant. As an editor, he edits proposals, reports, surveys, marketing materials, presentations, and business correspondence for content, logic, style, grammar, punctuation, and quality production. He has also assisted on the creation of new templates, both in Word and PowerPoint. In his role as research assistant, he organizes and tracks study participant information, database oversight, and project timeline adherence. He also assists in project interviews.
Storytelling is at the center of Mr. Southard's work. He is a seven-time published novelist and former book reviewer for WKAR. He enjoys working on projects that will make a positive difference for Michigan and using his skills to help tell the story of change-making.
Mr. Southard is an expert in Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. As a business writer, he has worked on eNewsletters, cover stories, press releases, and white papers. In the world of social media, he is an expert in Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Prior to his current role at Public Policy Associates, Mr. Southard worked as a senior technical writer for the Michigan Health Information Network, where he either wrote or reviewed and edited everything that was shared externally by the organization. In addition, he assisted with their marketing outreach and planning.
Mr. Southard brings a high level of professional quality to his work, making sure that the products he reviews or works on adhere to the standards that the clients of Public Policy Associates expect.
Education
Mr. Southard received a bachelor of arts in English from Aquinas College and a master of fine arts in professional writing from the University of Southern California.
Ms. Price is a skilled editor with excellent written and verbal communications skills. She also provides administrative support to all PPA staff.
Ms. Price's expertise is in Chicago Style, although she is skilled in the use of APA Style as well. She excels at implementing proper word usage and the mechanics of punctuation, as well as fact-checking.
She edits project proposals, reports, surveys, fact sheets, and presentations; marketing materials; business correspondence; and other written material for content, logic, style, grammar, punctuation, and quality production. She also drafts letters and other documents and contributes to the development of proposals.
Clients appreciate Ms. Price's attention to detail and her ability to provide polished, professional-looking deliverables.
Education
Ms. Price has attended Davenport College of Business and Lansing Community College.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Associate
Suniya is an experienced applied researcher and program evaluator with a strong background in mixed-methods research, quantitative analysis, survey design, and community-based participatory research. She also has deep expertise in U.S. Census microdata, R for statistical analysis, dashboards, and data visualization.
Suniya is a generalist with subject-matter expertise across topic areas. She's worked with state administrative data to understand access and barriers to income support programs. She has analyzed program data to understand the reach, fidelity, and outcomes of programs aimed at connecting individuals to employment, housing, child care, and benefits with the goal of alleviating poverty and improving well-being.
Suniya provides research design and statistical analysis for a range of projects. Prior to joining PPA, Suniya worked at Social IMPACT Research Center, a program of Heartland Alliance based in Chicago. She served as the Director of Data Analytics and Senior Data Analyst where she created the Chicago Community Data Portal, an interactive dashboard covering three topic areas and over 60 indicators of well-being: community health, education, and economic opportunity.
Across her projects, Suniya emphasizes the applicability of research findings to move the needle on policies impacting historically marginalized communities. In addition, she is deeply committed to lifting community voices through participatory, community-based research.
Education
Suniya has an MPP from the Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern California in Political Science and History.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Leader
- Member of the Finance
Terry Gardner joined PPA with over 25 years of experience working in both investment and nonprofit organizations across Michigan, overseeing a wide variety of business and financial activities.
In each of his previous roles, Mr. Gardner has been a leader, using his business planning and financial expertise to help forge success. He is a problem solver and uses his knowledge to lead the PPA administrative team, while managing the company's fiscal health, providing a high standard of accounting, and supporting strong client relationships.
Prior to PPA, Mr. Gardner has acted as a CFO, COO, and CCO, leading businesses from startups (including foundations) to solid infrastructures focused on growth. He has restructured organizations and designed and implemented many financial responsibilities around grantmaking work. He also created and supervised the implementation of strategic plans to successfully reach a plan's goals.
Mr. Gardner has a history of collaboration, taking part on boards and steering committees. Through project budgeting and planning, he will assist the PPA project managers in delivering our services as planned with quality and high client satisfaction.
Education
Mr. Gardner received his bachelor's degree in Economics and Accounting from Albion College.
Since 2011, Mr. Gardner has been a member of the Finance, Investment, and Grantmaking Committees for The Children's Foundation in Detroit. He was a member of Crain's Detroit 40 Under 40 Class of 1995. He was a co-chair of the Council of Michigan Foundations' Affinity Group from 2015 to 2022.