Candace Hester

Building Pathways for Student Success (BPSS), Arkansas
Candace Hester, PhD, a principal researcher at AIR, serves as the senior advisor for the Building Pathways for Student Success (BPSS) partnership. Hester has experience designing and leading rigorous evaluations to examine the implementation and impact of policies and programs, particularly for their capacity to address the root causes for disparities and expand the opportunities and resources to engender thriving. Under the previous REL Southwest contract, Hester led a body of research in Arkansas, including serving as the principal investigator of a study identifying valid indicators of college and career readiness and success for the state of Arkansas. Hester also serves as the principal investigator for a study examining the implementation and outcomes of high-quality and equitable distance education access for incarcerated students. She holds a doctorate in public policy from the University of California at Berkeley, is on the teaching faculty at Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, and is a certified What Works Clearinghouse reviewer.