Experienced applied researcher and evaluator specializing in community engagement and participatory methodologies. Over 10 years of expertise in developmental evaluations, impact assessments, and strategic planning.As a Senior Economic Development Specialist at Virginia Tech's Center for Economic and Community Engagement, I lead diverse initiatives in economic development, community education, and collaborative planning. My approach prioritizes local voices and fosters community ownership in research and evaluation processes. Current project topics include entrepreneurship development, regional planning, outdoor recreation, university based R&D partnerships, childcare, heritage tourism, farmworker wellness, and controlled-environment agriculture. Key areas of expertise:• Facilitating inclusive, participatory evaluation processes• Developing culturally responsive strategies for diverse rural communities• Implementing interdisciplinary mixed-methods approaches • Evaluating place-based initiatives and regional development strategies• Building evaluation and data-driven decision-making capacity, metrics developmentI excel in helping organizations and communities develop robust evaluation frameworks and meaningful metrics. Through workshops, training sessions, and collaborative projects, stakeholders enhance their skills in data driven decision making to measure and communicate progress that aligns with their unique goals and contexts.Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education at Virginia Tech, with a focus on impact evaluation in international development.Active in my community, serving as President of Downtown Christiansburg, Inc. and Vice Chair of Montgomery County Economic Development Authority.Committed to driving program improvements and informing decision-making through valuable insights, innovative approaches to assessing outcomes and impacts, and building sustainable evaluation capacity.