Leading Change Through Evaluation: Improvement Science in Action

About Kristen L. Rohanna

Kristen Rohanna is a professor in the Educational Leadership Program and Social Research Methodology Division in the School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Rohannas practice and research focus on using evaluative methods to effect social change with a particular emphasis in the area of education. As such she works closely with K-12 teachers and administrators to support their use of evaluation and improvement science methods. Before her time at UCLA Rohanna was a Harvard Strategic Data Fellow and the Manager for Research and Evaluation at the San Jose Unified School District. Her education experience provided the context for her New Direction for Evaluation article: Breaking the Adopt Attack Abandon Cycle: A Case for Improvement Science in K-12 Education about the potential power of continuous improvement methods and the challenges school leaders face when attempting to undertake these methods. Rohanna also has a forthcoming article in the American Journal of Evaluation about building the improvement science capacity of teachers. Rohanna has extensive program evaluation experience including leading numerous program evaluations for the California Department of Education. Currently she is leading a statewide evaluation of the 21st Century California School Leadership Academy. The initiative provides professional learning opportunities to K-12 education leaders including equity-centered leadership and improvement science. Rohanna received her Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Pittsburgh and her Master of Arts degree in Demographic and Social Analysis from the University of California Irvine. She received her Ph.D. in Social Research Methodology from UCLA.