194: Fresh Eyes in Data Equity Evaluation: A New Evaluator’s Journey to Build Trust and Re-Imagine Evaluation with Social Services Community Partners

As a student or early career professional starting a new Evaluation role, it can be challenging to transfer academic knowledge and past work experience into practice. This demonstration will focus on re-imagining evaluation practices using tools from We All Count’s Foundations of Data Equity Training and collaborating to develop equity-driven deliverables as a new evaluator. This session will share insights from the SDSU Academy for Professional Excellence’s collaboration with Social Service community partners to innovate deliverables through the Data Equity Framework (DEF). The DEF helps evaluators intentionally think about equity at every step of the Evaluation process. Attendees will receive resources and connect on data equity-focused innovation. We will focus on: 1) building trust with community partners, 2) shared reflection to reveal contemporary evaluation opportunities, 3) navigating change and complex work environments, and 4) empowering community partners to engage with and feel ownership of their data.

Patricia Nixon, BSW – Evaluation Systems Analyst, Academy for Professional Excellence, San Diego State University; Barbara Carlowe, BBA – Evaluation Development Supervisor, Academy for Professional Excellence, San Diego State University; Carrie Gibson, BA – Systems Evaluation Manager, Academy for Professional Excellence, San Diego State University