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Our Team

Amy Feygin

Amy Feygin

Director
Amy Feygin, PhD, a principal researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), serves as the director of REL Southwest. In this role, Feygin maintains connections with critical policymakers and education stakeholders in the region’s five states. She also coordinates and leads evidence-based efforts, including research, technical support, and engagement, to address high-leverage education needs to inform policies, programs, and practices. A skilled project director, Feygin has extensive experience leading large-scale federal grants and contracts and working with education agencies on research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects. Previously, she served as the deputy director of the current REL Southwest contract, as the applied research and evaluation lead on the 2017–21 REL Midwest and 2017–22 REL Southwest contracts, and as project director for an IES-funded systematic review of research on strategies for improving college completion. Feygin holds a doctorate in social service administration from the University of Chicago and is a certified reviewer for the What Works Clearinghouse Group Design Standards (Version 5.0).


Alicia Garcia

Alicia Garcia

Deputy Director
Alicia Garcia, PhD, a managing director at AIR, serves as the deputy director of REL Southwest. In this role, Garcia maintains connections with critical policymakers and education stakeholders in the region’s five states. She also coordinates and leads evidence-based efforts, including research, technical support, and engagement, to address high-leverage education needs to inform policies, programs, and practices. Under previous REL contracts, Garcia served as the deputy director for REL Midwest and as an alliance liaison for the REL Southwest Texas Hispanic STEM Research alliance. With more than 16 years’ experience in education law and policy, Garcia also previously served as the director of the Midwest Comprehensive Center and as director of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Statistics, Website and Training contract, which focused on updating the WWC review standards and certification process as well as maintaining the online systems for reviewers. Prior to joining AIR, Garcia was a practicing attorney in the field of education law. She holds a JD from the University of Texas School of Law.


Angelica Herrera

Angelica Herrera

Partnership Task Lead
Angelica Herrera, PhD, a senior researcher at AIR, serves as the partnership task lead for REL Southwest. In this role, she oversees research-practice partnerships in the five states that REL Southwest serves. Herrera has significant experience in leading research-practice partnerships, providing coaching and training on education practices to state and local education agencies, and leading research and evaluation studies. For the 2017-22 REL Southwest, she served as the Task 3 lead, principal investigator on a quasi-experimental study in Texas on a school reform approach, and as a project director for a series of coaching projects in New Mexico on best practices for improving instruction for English learner students. Herrera’s areas of expertise include culturally responsive practices and logic models to plan, implement, and evaluate programs and policies. Herrera holds a doctorate in developmental psychology from the City University of New York. She is fluent in oral and written Spanish.


Jill  Walston

Jill Walston

Training, Coaching, and Technical Support Task Lead
Jill Walston, PhD, a principal researcher at AIR, serves as the REL Southwest task lead for training, coaching, and technical support. In this role, Walston oversees the planning, development, and facilitation of projects to build the capacity of education stakeholders to use data and research for continuous improvement. Walston has more than 20 years of experience in education research, quantitative analysis, and survey methodology, and has led projects related to early childhood education, college and career readiness, and educator effectiveness. In addition, she has led technical support and trainings for researchers and practitioners in research design, survey development, and data use, and has conducted more than 30 workshops and taught a quantitative research methods course at George Washington University and the University of Maryland. Walston holds a doctorate in education measurement, statistics, and evaluation from the University of Maryland, College Park.


Yinmei Wan

Yinmei Wan

Applied Research Task Lead
Yinmei Wan, PhD, a senior researcher at AIR, serves as the applied research task lead for REL Southwest. In this role, she oversees all research and evaluation activities for the program. Wan has extensive experience working with state and local education agencies on research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects. She has more than 10 years of experience leading REL applied research projects and has authored multiple REL reports. She also serves as the partnership director for REL Midwest’s Teaching Fractions Toolkit project, which is developing and evaluating a toolkit to support teachers in using evidence-based practices featured in the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Developing Effective Fractions Instruction for Kindergarten Through 8th Grade practice guide. In addition, Wan is a WWC-certified reviewer and leads the WWC Statistics, Website, and Training Help Desk team. She holds a doctorate from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.


Lacy Wood

Lacy Wood

Dissemination Task Lead
Lacy Wood, MLS, a principal technical assistance consultant at AIR, serves as the dissemination task lead for REL Southwest. In this role, she oversees all dissemination activities and works with stakeholders across the region on planning and executing research-to practice bridge events and a broad range of communications activities. In addition, she oversees efforts to engage research and practice partners in the development and implementation of communication strategies to guarantee that products and events are accessible and relevant. She has extensive experience in dissemination and knowledge utilization, developing events with stakeholders, and creating products for diverse audiences. Wood also has more than 20 years of experience in school improvement and in stakeholder and family engagement and currently serves as a founding board member for the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement. Wood holds a Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin.


Tia Clinton

Tia Clinton

Building Pathways for Student Success (BPSS), Arkansas
Tia Clinton, PhD, an education systems researcher at AIR, co-leads the Building Pathways for Student Success (BPSS) partnership. Clinton’s primary responsibilities at AIR include conducting qualitative research surrounding issues of education equity, evaluation, and technical assistance work. Clinton has extensive experience in school-level and nonprofit-level interventions to increase achievement outcomes for students of color, both on the K–12 and higher education levels. Her professional career has been grounded in the realms of race, education, equity, and social justice. Clinton holds both a doctorate in sociology and a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the University of Michigan.


Sarah Frazelle

Sarah Frazelle

Building Pathways for Student Success (BPSS), Arkansas
Sarah Frazelle, a senior researcher at AIR, co-leads the Building Pathways for Student Success (BPSS) partnership. Frazelle’s current work at AIR focuses on college and career readiness and success. Before joining AIR in 2023, she was the director of multitiered systems of support and early warning indicators at the Puget Sound Educational Service District. Earlier in her career, Frazelle was a senior research advisor at Education Northwest, where she led the Montana Education Research Alliance for REL Northwest. She also has built partnerships with Native communities to develop culturally responsive student support systems; led collaborations with state and local education agencies to identify data for program evaluation; and provided problem solving, analytic technical assistance, and research and evaluation support through the lens of equity. Frazelle holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Kansas.


Candace Hester

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.


Katie Dahlke

Katie Dahlke

Leading Early Childhood Achievement and Development (LEAD), Oklahoma
Katie Dahlke, PhD, a principal researcher at AIR, co-leads the Leading Early Childhood Achievement and Development (LEAD) partnership. Dahlke has 15 years of experience as a program evaluator and researcher, with a focus on early care and education (ECE) settings and preK–12 education programs. Her areas of expertise include quasi-experimental, experimental, and mixed-methods research and evaluation design as well as measure development and validation. Past studies she has led include a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design study of full-day kindergarten in Pennsylvania, validation studies of kindergarten entry assessments in Pennsylvania and New Mexico, and a descriptive study of early educator practices and supports in Massachusetts. Dahlke holds a doctorate in human development and social policy from Northwestern University.


Janice Esau

Janice Esau

Leading Early Childhood Achievement and Development (LEAD), Oklahoma
Janice Esau , a senior technical assistance consultant at AIR, co-leads the Leading Early Childhood Achievement and Development (LEAD) partnership. Keizer previously served as a partnership facilitator for REL Southwest’s former Early Childhood Education partnership in Oklahoma. In addition to her work on REL Southwest, Keizer is assisting in developing an early childhood curriculum review toolkit and protocol for the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. She also leads the development of a new Educator Growth System for Principals and Teachers for the Santa Fe Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work at AIR is supported by her years of experience as a preschool teacher, early childhood program director, and a statewide technical assistance and professional development trainer for early childhood practitioners in Texas. Keizer holds a master’s degree in education from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota.


Rachel Garrett

Rachel Garrett

Southwest English Learner Literacy (SWELL), New Mexico
Rachel Garrett, PhD, a principal researcher at AIR, co-leads the Southwest English Learner Literacy (SWELL) partnership. Garrett has extensive experience leading evaluation studies focused on English learner students and teacher professional learning. She served as the research lead for the New Mexico partnership under the previous REL Southwest contract and the principal investigator for a study with the New Mexico Public Education Department to examine the effects of state reclassification policy on English learner student achievement. In addition, Garrett is conducting a meta-analysis to examine effective approaches for improving English learner student learning and has led two meta-analyses that examined how features of teacher professional learning programs are associated with effects on classroom instruction and student achievement. Garrett holds a doctorate in public policy from the University of Chicago.


Lisa Hsin

Lisa Hsin

Southwest English Learner Literacy (SWELL), New Mexico
Lisa Hsin, PhD, a senior researcher at AIR, co-leads the Southwest English Learner Literacy (SWELL) partnership. Hsin’s research is focused on education programs for English learner students and other multilingual learners, with an emphasis on effective and equitable literacy instruction. Under the prior REL Southwest contract she served as the principal investigator of a study of English proficiency among Texas English learner students during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported New Mexico educators through training and coaching on teacher collaboration. She works closely with states, districts, schools, and educators to support their efforts to improve English learner student outcomes. Hsin has led studies on English learner student reading and writing skills, support for young dual-language learners through family engagement practices, and multilingual language development. Hsin holds a doctorate in cognitive science from Johns Hopkins University and completed postdoctoral training in literacy teaching and learning at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is fluent in Spanish.


Brenda Arellano

Brenda Arellano

Southwest English Learner Literacy (SWELL), New Mexico
Brenda Arellano, PhD, a senior researcher at AIR, serves as the senior advisor for the Southwest English Learner Literacy (SWELL) partnership. Arellano’s expertise focuses on English learner students, teacher preparation, and Native American supports. She led the former REL Southwest English Learners partnership, working with the state education agency, school districts, and other stakeholders to improve outcomes for English learner students. She also served as co-principal investigator for two of the partnership’s studies: one examined the English language development of American Indian English learner students, and the other examined characteristics and outcomes among schools and students receiving biliteracy seals. She has also published on Spanish-speaking English learners. Arellano holds a doctorate in education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with an emphasis in educational leadership and organization?focused on research methods. She is a certified What Works Clearinghouse reviewer. She is fluent in Spanish.


Robyn Madison

Robyn Madison

Supporting Early Career and Aspiring Teachers (SECAT), Louisiana
Robyn Madison, EdD, a senior technical assistance consultant at AIR, co-leads the Supporting Early Career and Aspiring Teachers (SECAT) partnership. At AIR, Madison supports project teams in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion and cultural and linguistic competence in their work. She also works with state and local agencies in educator recruitment, preparation, professional development, and retention. She serves as a team leader with the Region 12 Comprehensive Center community of practice for strengthening and diversifying the educator workforce and previously served as the state liaison and partnership facilitator for REL Southwest’s former Teacher Preparation and Professional Development Partnership in Louisiana. In addition, Madison designs and delivers technical assistance and professional development, conducts research, and facilitates data-focused inquiry sessions to support education systems improvement and equitable access for educators and students. Madison holds a doctorate of education from Nova Southeastern University.


Ashley Pierson

Ashley Pierson

Supporting Early Career and Aspiring Teachers (SECAT), Louisiana
Ashley Pierson, PhD, a senior researcher at AIR, co-leads the Supporting Early Career and Aspiring Teachers (SECAT) partnership. Pierson is skilled in leading research-practice partnerships and translating research into actionable materials for policymakers and practitioners. She has worked closely with partners at state and local levels to use data and evidence to advance educational equity. She brings more than 15 years of experience conducting applied research and managing projects in early learning, K–12, and postsecondary settings. She has led multiple REL projects, including training, coaching, and technical support and applied research projects, and authored multiple REL research reports. Pierson holds a doctorate in policy analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School, with an emphasis in quantitative methods and education policy. She is a certified reviewer for the What Works Clearinghouse Group Design Standards (Version 4.1).


Holly Williams

Holly Williams

Texas Education Agency Tri-Agency Workforce Priorities (TTWP), Texas
Holly Williams, PhD, a senior researcher at AIR, co-leads the Texas Education Agency Tri-Agency Workforce Priorities (TTWP) partnership. Williams’ primary responsibilities at AIR are to lead and support teams in carrying out comprehensive research and evaluation studies with a focus on education systems at the local, state, and national levels. She has extensive experience in research and evaluation at the local education agency level and previously led the research team in the Department of Research and Evaluation at the Austin Independent School District (AISD). Williams also served as co-chair of the Research Subcommittee for the University of Texas at Austin/AISD Research Collaborative. She holds a doctorate in quantitative methods in educational psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in clinical psychology from Southern Methodist University. She is a licensed psychologist and a certified What Works Clearinghouse reviewer.


Lynn Mellor

Lynn Mellor

Texas Education Agency Tri-Agency Workforce Priorities (TTWP), Texas
Lynn Mellor, PhD, a principal researcher at AIR, serves as the senior advisor for the Texas Education Agency Tri-Agency Workforce Priorities (TTWP) partnership. Mellor’s expertise includes a 30-year track record of successfully designing, planning, and leading evaluation and research studies. She serves as the principal investigator of two IES-funded research grants: a partnership grant with the Texas Education Agency to evaluate the Foundation High School Graduation Program in Texas and an exploratory grant to examine the implementation and outcomes associated with Texas’s enactment of a statewide high school graduation requirement that students complete a financial aid application. Previously, Mellor served as the deputy director of the 2017–2022 REL Southwest contract, where she provided leadership and quality assurance for 18 applied research studies; more than 40 training, coaching, and technical support projects; and more than 60 staff. Mellor earned her doctorate in quantitative methods and statistics from the University of Texas at Austin.


John Spence

John Spence

Texas Education Agency Tri-Agency Workforce Priorities (TTWP), Texas
John Spence, a senior technical assistance consultant at AIR, co-leads the Texas Education Agency Tri-Agency Workforce Priorities (TTWP) partnership. Spence’s expertise spans more than 25 years in public education and includes client engagement, talent management, project effectiveness, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. He currently directs a multiphase project with the Qatar Foundation, co-leads a project for the REL Midwest, serves as a leadership coach for the Long Beach Network for School Improvement, and is the principal investigator for a study with the Charles Butt Foundation. He previously served as the state liaison and deputy director for the Texas Comprehensive Center, for which he managed client relations with key leadership and staff at the Texas Education Agency to help build the capacity of the state’s public education system to address key agency priorities. Spence holds a master’s degree in history from Indiana University, Bloomington.


Lauren Artzi

Lauren Artzi

Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit
Lauren Artzi, PhD, a senior researcher at AIR, co-leads the development of the Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit. Artzi's areas of expertise include second language education, PK–12 literacy instruction, intervention research, and multi-tiered systems of support. She has extensive experience conducting research and educator technical assistance projects and in the use of instructional and assessment practices that support the academic achievement of English learner students and students with or at risk for disabilities. Artzi’s work addresses policies and practices for English learner students and dual language learners; special education policies and practices, including English learner students with disabilities; assessment and instruction practices within multi-tiered systems of supports; and policies and practices for English learner students and dual language learners. She holds a doctorate in second language education and culture from the University of Maryland.


JON POTTER

JON POTTER

Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit
Jon Potter, PhD, a senior technical assistance consultant at AIR, co-leads the development of the Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit. Potter has extensive experience in data-based decision making and early literacy instruction and assessment. His projects at AIR focus on providing consultation and technical assistance to state departments and school districts on the implementation of multitiered systems of support (MTSS). He also supports the development of training and coaching materials related to MTSS and effective instruction. Previously, Potter worked as a school psychologist, an adjunct professor, and a state-level RTI/MTSS Implementation Coach in early literacy. Potter holds a doctorate in school psychology from the University of Oregon.


Jill Bowdon

Jill Bowdon

Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit
Jill Bowdon, PhD, a principal researcher at AIR, co-leads the evaluation of the Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit. Bowdon’s areas of expertise include literacy instruction and assessments, state literacy policies and practices, the science of reading, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and data-driven decision making. She leads AIR’s Literacy Practice Hub and has worked closely with states, districts, schools, and educators in the context of researcher–practitioner partnerships to provide applied research, coaching, training, and technical assistance related to literacy. During her career, she has also served as the principal investigator, project director, and lead analyst on several large-scale research studies funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation. Bowdon holds a doctorate in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a certified What Works Clearinghouse reviewer.


Billie Jo Day

Billie Jo Day

Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit
Billie Jo Day, PhD, a senior researcher at AIR, co-leads the evaluation of the Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit. Day has extensive training in quantitative and qualitative methods with more than 15 years of experience in education including research and policy. She has worked closely with state and local education leaders to design and implement evidence-based practices that are responsive to local needs. In addition to PRIST, Day is project manager for the REL Midwest’s Strategies to Improve Reading partnership in Michigan, oversees coaches on an IES funded evaluation of a literacy curriculum and is a Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) trainer. Previously, Day served as the partnership facilitation lead for REL Midwest’s early childhood education alliance that supported the early literacy efforts of districts in Illinois. Prior to joining AIR, she was a research assistant with the Chicago Consortium on School Research at the University of Chicago. Day earned her EdM in higher education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and her PhD from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.


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