Data geeks with people skills.
Data geeks with people skills.
As a child, I loved reading. Nancy Drew Mysteries were among my favorites, but I also enjoyed reading nonfiction because it could teach me something new. In fact, I was probably the only kid around who looked forward to going to the doctor because of the Highlights™ magazines in the waiting room. When I got to the doctor’s office, I’d immediately grab a magazine and start reading the stories and solving the puzzles. In the ‘80s, my passion for puzzles evolved to Rubik’s cubes. To this day, I do Sudoku puzzles to relax (much to my children’s chagrin)!
For more than 15 years, Sandra has worked as a research analyst in both the public and private sectors. Her experience has ranged from collecting and analyzing data about judicial sentencing practices to measuring consumer preferences and customer satisfaction for retail stores and consumer products’ manufacturers. Whether she’s doing public policy research or conducting customer surveys, Sandra’s chief objective is always to uncover precisely the right information needed by an organization to make strategic decisions that will improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Her extensive client interviews during the research design phase, when she ferrets out exactly what her clients are trying to achieve, have been key in her achieving this goal.
Sandra has found that clients charged with doing some sort of analysis often become quickly overwhelmed as this work is generally outside their wheelhouse. Picking up where their skills leave off, she immediately puts their minds at ease. Another way she facilitates the data process for clients is by making them the expert. Sandra mines their wealth of insights not only to collect the valuable background information she needs, but also to gain their involvement, which naturally leads to higher investment in the process itself.
As a senior legislative analyst for the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, Sandra studied the effectiveness and efficiency of various state agencies as well as state programs and policies created by the Virginia General Assembly. Her role at Transformation Systems, Inc. gave her the opportunity to evaluate Virginia’s drug court system for the Supreme Court of Virginia. Sandra finds that the most unique aspect of her work—and one that drives her—is the diversity. With every study, she’s able to learn something new and continuously expand her field of knowledge.
Ph.D. in Experimental Social Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University
M.A. in General Psychology from Wake Forest University
B.S. in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University
Nonprofit Lifecycles Capacity Consultant
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