From October 21–26, 2024, DIR will participate in the American Evaluation Association’s “Amplifying and Empowering Voices in Evaluation 24” Conference in Portland, Oregon. This event unites evaluators, fostering collaboration between newcomers and seasoned professionals. Focusing on peer-to-peer learning, Evaluation 2024 aims to mentor emerging evaluators and elevate diverse perspectives, creating an inclusive environment where every voice contributes to shaping the future.
DIR is honored to have three abstracts accepted at this year’s AEA conference. We invite you to join our team at the Roundtable discussions and Birds of a Feather Presentation. The dates and times are below:
Thursday, October 24, 2024
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM PST
Location: Portland Ballroom 254
Presenters: Sylvia Epps, PhD; Ronald McCowan, PhD; Chelsea Whiting, MA Oriana Perez, MS, MCHES
The “Creating Safe Spaces” session explores the transformative evaluation of the Community COVID Housing Program (CCHP) in Harris County, Texas, aimed at addressing homelessness with permanent housing and supportive services. Partnering with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Decision Information Resources (DIR), the evaluation highlights Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation (CREE) practices and trauma-informed principles. A community advisory board of formerly unhoused individuals ensures authentic dialogue and minimizes re-traumatization. Attendees will learn about methodology, key findings, and strategies for integrating diverse perspectives into evaluation practices. This session is ideal for evaluators, researchers, policymakers, and community stakeholders focused on equity and social justice, showcasing culturally responsive approaches that challenge biases and drive change.
Let’s LOL! Leveraging Our Learning – Strategies to Build Evaluation Capacity
Thursday, October 24, 2024
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM PST
Location: G129-130
Roundtable Discussion: Presenters: Sylvia R. Epps, PhD and Cynthia Castaldo-Walsh, PhD; Authors: Simone Jackson, PhD and Carol Pistorino PhD
This roundtable explores the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) framework, focusing on evaluation insights. Using Mentimeter, participants will discuss topics like engaging community organizations, grantee readiness, and capacity building. Presenters from the national evaluation team (NET) and other evaluators will share actionable learnings to improve practices. Discussions will elevate shared learnings from evaluators, grantees, and funders. The TRHT initiative, launched by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in 2017, addresses racism and fosters sustainable change. By prioritizing engagement and participatory evaluation, the NET aims to capture TRHT’s transformative potential and strengthen partnerships.
Sessions: Birds of a Feather
Friday, October 25, 2024
1:00 P.M. – 2:00 PM PST
Location: Exhibit Hall A
Session Chair, Facilitator, Discussant, and multiple co-authors
Cynthia Castaldo-Walsh, PhD, Tiara Jackson, Sylvia Epps, PhD, and Oriana Perez
Evaluators working on complex community-based participatory initiatives focused on health equity are invited to join this insightful gathering. Inspired by Lupus Therapeutics’ Project CHANGE, this event will delve into best practices for equitable engagement. Project CHANGE aims to address the underrepresentation of minority groups in lupus clinical trials by building a coalition of academic and community partners to develop effective solutions. Through a diverse steering committee, three pilot communities, known as Lupus Research Collaboratives (LRCs), have been identified to create tailored action plans addressing specific community barriers.
Decision Information Resources (DIR), as the evaluation partner, plays a vital role in developing a comprehensive evaluation plan that reflects each LRC’s unique context and needs. This gathering will focus on engaging multi-stakeholders and promoting equity in CBPR models. Attendees will explore methods for promoting and assessing equitable processes, ensuring outcomes align with community priorities, and amplifying community voices in the evaluation process. Join us to exchange ideas and resources to advance health equity through collaborative evaluation.