Nitya Venkateswaran, Ph.D., has a decade of experience researching the implementation of K-12 and postsecondary education initiatives and practices to transform student outcomes using qualitative methods. Dr. Venkateswaran was Leader for Equitable Evaluation and Diversity scholar and is committed to using culturally responsive and equitable evaluation methods to dismantle oppressive systems through her research and evaluation work. She has enhanced inclusion and belonging at RTI as the Asian American Employee Resource Group co-lead.

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Jay Feldman, Ph.D., has 27 years of K-16 education evaluation experience. He specializes in developmental and equity-centered evaluation approaches. He has consistently sought to push practice and strategy in his work, shifting practices so that they are more fully in service of equity, and crafting innovative approaches to examine and address complex critical issues. His goal as an evaluator is to support communities in their drive for meaningful change.

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Monica Sheppard, MSW, is an RTI research analyst who works closely with Dr. Megan Comfort and other RTI experts. Her work includes qualitative data collection projects related to the criminal legal system, racial disparities, and reentry and victim-centered studies. She is a co-chair at RTI’s D&I Committee, a member of the Racial Equity Council and the Racial and Community Justice Committee of the APPR project. Ms. Sheppard also is a co-chair of a BERG subcommittee, RTI’s Black Employee Resource Group.

Megan Comfort, Ph.D., is a sociologist whose research focuses on improving the health and well-being of people involved in the criminal legal system and advancing community-informed approaches to racial equity and justice. She uses her expertise in qualitative methods to collaborate with quantitative researchers, people who have experienced incarceration and their family members, frontline practitioners, and other creative thinkers. Dr. Comfort works with other TRUE colleagues to develop intersectional mentorship practices to holistically support the professional trajectories of junior staff who belong to groups that are historically underrepresented in research careers.

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Dr. Janelle Armstrong-Brown is a Social Behavioral Scientist at RTI where she evaluates programs that seek to reduce heath disparities and inequities. She identifies ways, in and outside of the professional work setting, to promote equal opportunities for all. Her 10 years of experience include evaluating programs that seek to reduce health disparities impacting historically marginalized communities. She is the project director for Evaluation Studies IDIQ contract and provides quality oversight for multiple evaluation task orders with the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA).