Eric Heller, Ed.D. is Director of the Research and Evaluation Group. With the Institute since 1984, he was instrumental in developing its approach to client-responsive, applied social science research and program evaluation. He has extensive experience in the design and development of research plans tailored to address clients’ unique program feedback, accountability, and decision-making needs. He is well grounded in the application of a broad array of quantitative and qualitative research tools, and draws on twenty-five years of research experience in his approach to project development, management, and quality control.

Dr. Heller received his Ed.D. and M.Ed. in educational policy, research and administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He earned his B.A. in education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

(413) 587-2402

Steven Ellis, M.P.A. is Senior Manager for Research and Evaluation. He works extensively with education, health care, and economic development initiatives and governmental entities in the areas of customer satisfaction, impact measurement, and organizational and market research. Mr. Ellis has experience with a range of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, including survey research, case study, interviewing, focus groups, and literature review. He has practical experience working with non-profit and quasi-public organizations, public agencies, and private businesses.

Mr. Ellis received a master's degree in public administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He received his B.A. from North Adams State College.

(413) 587-2405

Jill Capitani, M.P.P. is a Research Manager specializing in human service and educational programs. Ms. Capitani has experience with a range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including survey research, needs assessment, case study, interviewing, and focus groups. Much of her professional experience has included work with programs addressing youth development, education, welfare reform, and violence prevention.  She has also provided technical assistance to state and local government agencies and to community-based organizations.

Ms. Capitani received her M.P.P. from Georgetown University. She holds a B.A. in political science and Sociology from Colgate University.

Christina Citino, B.A. is a Research Manager with more than fifteen years of experience working with human service agencies and programs. She has extensive experience providing community-based organizations with program development, needs assessment, and program evaluation services. Her professional experience has included work with programs addressing substance abuse treatment, HIV prevention, violence prevention, youth development, access to health care, and housing. She has provided training and technical assistance to community-based agencies in the development and implementation of outcomes measurement systems. Recently, Ms. Citino completed a report on the future needs of the human services workforce in Massachusetts.

Ms. Citino received her B.A. in sociology from Temple University.

(413) 587-2404

Alison Glasgow is a Research Analyst conducting evaluations of treatment and prevention initiatives for a variety of human service agencies. She works with each organization closely to develop and implement comprehensive evaluation plans to meet federal reporting requirements and ensure that data support ongoing program improvement. Her research interests include homelessness, barriers to housing, and housing instability; substance abuse and mental health treatment; youth development; and HIV prevention. Her previous position at a homeless shelter for families provided her first hand experience with vulnerable populations and direct service provision.

Ms. Glasgow received her B.A. in Sociology and Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

(413) 587-2414

Jennifer Gordon, M.P.P. is a Research Manager specializing in the evaluation of education reform initiatives. Ms. Gordon has extensive experience integrating quantitative and qualitative data including student assessments, activity logs, surveys, and interviews. Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Gordon worked as a management consultant employing the Balanced Scorecard methodology for strategic planning and performance measurement.

Ms. Gordon completed her graduate studies at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, where she earned a master's degree in public policy with a concentration in quantitative methods and program evaluation. She received a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

(774) 455-7376

Lonnie Kaufman, M.S. is a Research Manager specializing in local, state, and federal educational initiatives and programs. Mr. Kaufman has over twenty-five years of experience working within and on behalf of public schools at the secondary and higher education levels throughout the U.S. His work has focused on conducting research and evaluation, managing projects, and providing professional development. He employs both qualitative and quantitative methodologies and has extensive experience writing reports reflecting key findings of data analysis.

Mr. Kaufman received his M.S. in school counseling from San Diego State University. He earned his B.A. in anthropology and secondary teaching from SUNY at Stony Brook.

(413) 587-2419

Sue Leibowitz, Ph.D. is a Research Manager and Statistician. She has many years of experience as a researcher and evaluator in the areas of education and human services and as a teacher of statistics and evaluation. Dr. Leibowitz has worked with federally funded multi-site national research and evaluation projects and numerous community-based projects. She has extensive experience developing research protocol, creating and administering surveys, and conducting statistical analyses of large, complex data sets.

Dr. Leibowitz received her Ph.D. in educational research, measurement, and evaluation from Boston College, an M.Ed. in special education at the University of Massachusetts, an M.S.I.S. (Master of Science in Information Systems) from Northeastern University, and a B.A. from the University of Vermont.

(413) 587-2403

Eliot Levine, Ph.D. is a Research Manager specializing in education and human service initiatives. He has twenty years of research and applied experience working with public schools, nonprofit organizations, and mental health settings. His research and evaluation work has focused on school reform, substance abuse treatment and prevention, HIV prevention, and early childhood development. After publishing his book One Kid at a Time: Big Lessons from a Small School, which supported the scaleup of a national school reform model, he taught for seven years at two alternative public high schools.

Dr. Levine received his Ph.D. and M.A. in clinical and community psychology from the University of Maryland and his B.S. in electrical engineering and psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

(413) 587-2418

Minh Ly, B.A. is a Research Manager specializing in the assessment of education policy initiatives. His research interests include race and ethnicity, inequality, and education. Employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, his expertise lies in designing, conducting, and analyzing focus groups, in-depth interviews, and survey research. Prior to joining the Institute, he aided in the reform and evaluation of new admissions criteria and policies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Mount Holyoke College.

Mr. Ly is currently completing his doctorate in sociology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he also earned his B.A.

(413) 587-2417

Loren Puffer, M.P.A. is a Research Manager specializing in education reform and human service initiatives. Ms. Puffer has experience with a range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including survey research, case study, interviewing and focus groups. Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Puffer worked at the Wellesley College Centers for Research on Women focusing on an out-of-school time evaluation.

Ms. Puffer completed her graduate studies at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs where she earned a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in social welfare policy and advanced management techniques. She received a B.A. from Tufts University.

(774) 455-7374

Paula Quinn, M.A. is a Research Manager focusing on assessment and evaluation of pre-K through post-secondary education programs and professional development programs for educators. She has worked on local, state, and federal projects relating primarily to the areas of literacy, science, technology, engineering, and math, and she is experienced in both quantitative and qualitative methods. Prior to joining the Institute, she worked as an independent assessment and evaluation consultant.

Ms. Quinn received an M.A. in developmental psychology from Clark University and a B.A. in psychology from Case Western Reserve University.

(413) 587-2409

Stefanie Santaniello, M.P.P.A.; M.B.A. is a Research Manager whose current work is focused on education policy and evaluation. Prior to joining the Donahue Institute, she worked at the Regional Information Center of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, where she supported a variety of research projects in the areas of economic development and education.

Ms. Santaniello completed her graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts, where she earned a Master's in Public Policy and Administration and a Master's in Business Administration. Her undergraduate degree is from Boston College.

(413) 587-2407

Greta Shultz, Ed.D. is a Research Manager conducting applied research and program evaluation in the areas of education and human services. She has worked with community-based organizations, K-12 school districts, public school/higher education partnerships, state and national departments of education, and international development agencies. Strongly grounded in qualitative research design, she employs methods such as case study, focus group, interview, and participant-observation. She has also worked in the domestic violence field for years, providing training and direct service.

Dr. Shultz received her M.Ed. and Ed.D. in educational policy, research and administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and her B.A. from Oberlin College.

(413) 587-2406

Jean Supel, M.S. is a Research Manager specializing in education research. She has experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods, performance measurement, program evaluation, and survey development. Her current projects involve evaluation of math and science programs and tracking state education and economic indicators. Ms. Supel’s background includes work as a researcher in the areas of local government, public safety, economics, education, and community involvement; and as director of both education and volunteer programs for non-profit agencies.

Ms. Supel holds an M.S. in education from Indiana University and received a B.A. in comparative social policy from the University of Minnesota.

(774) 455-7375

John Tapper, Ph.D. is a Research Manager who focuses on the evaluation of educational programs and policies. He has extensive experience in public education as a teacher, administrator, and researcher. In his research, John makes use of predictive statistical models, multivariate analysis, and mixed methods. His research interests include teaching practices to improve mathematics learning, and increasing student success in high poverty schools.

Mr. Tapper received his Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from New York University. He holds degrees from Vermont College, the University of Maine, and College of the Atlantic.

(413) 587-2421

Joseph Wyman, M.P.P.A. is a Research Analyst who works with a variety of human service, education, and economic development initiatives. His particular areas of interest include school choice programs, affordable housing, and community development. Prior to joining the Donahue Institute, he worked as Project Director for a public health program in western Maine. The goals of this program were to reduce or eliminate tobacco use, protect people from the impact of second hand smoke, improve nutrition choices and increase physical activity levels in the communities served.

Mr. Wyman graduated with a master's degree in public policy and administration at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he also earned his B.A.

(413) 587-2401

Ivana Zuliani, M.A. is a Research Manager specializing in the evaluation of system-wide education reform efforts. Ms. Zuliani has extensive experience managing summative and formative evaluation projects of community-based initiatives as well as state-level, regional, and national education programs. Prior to joining the Donahue Institute, she served as a senior research associate with The Education Alliance at Brown University, evaluating a variety of school improvement efforts, adolescent literacy programs, and initiatives focusing on the development of pre-literacy skills in young children.

Ms. Zuliani received her M.A. in Sociology from Brown University. She holds a graduate diploma in Institutional Administration from Concordia University, where she also received her B.A.

(413) 587-2417