Meet Community Science
It takes a diverse team of people to understand the challenges faced by funders, grantees, and those they serve. We’re proud of who we are and work hard to reflect the communities we serve.
Our people help our clients meet their challenges by applying their expertise, multi-disciplined approaches, multicultural understanding, and personal experiences. We are here to make a difference in the world in which we all live. Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths because we appreciate the value that lived experience brings to our work. The right people with the right attitude make us who we are. We come from a variety of backgrounds with advanced degrees in psychology, public health, urban and regional planning, sociomedical sciences, public policy, social work, education, business administration and economics. Joining community Science means that you are joining a lifelong learning and professional development process. Community Science invests heavily in the professional development of its team members to further advance their expertise, research skills, and other competencies. We are active in presenting at national and international professional and practitioner forums.
Cross-cultural competence is a core capacity for our company and our people. In addition to their lived experience, Community Science staff are fluent in several languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Malay, Italian, and French. Language proficiency, however, is not the most important element of our capacity to work across cultures. We spend a great deal of time learning about the social organization, customs, norms, and history of the groups with whom we work, enabling us to build upon the strengths of different culture. Because of our cultural competence, Community Science staff members have been able to work effectively with communities and organizations throughout Latin America, Africa, Canada, Europe, Russia, and Southeast Asia, in addition to different ethnic communities throughout the United States.
antwuan wallacePrincipal Associateantwuan Wallace, M.A. and M.Phil., Principal Associate, has extensive research, evaluation, and public policy analysis experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Most recently, he worked with The Funding Exchange, Miami Dade County, the National Academies, The Center for Urban Families, Global Emergency Assistance Programs, and The Center for Equitable Economic Development to implement DEI policy and close the racial wealth gap.- Amber TroutSenior AssociateAmber Trout, Ph.D., Senior Associate, has extensive organizational and leadership development, change management, and capacity building experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. Most recently, she worked with the Institute for Nonprofit Practice to manage the implementation of their new learning agenda, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to manage the evaluation of the Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative, and the Knight Foundation to map pathways of change and more for an equitable revitalization project.
- Dontarious CowansResearch AssistantDontarious Cowans, M.A., Research Assistant, has experience in mixed-method analysis and data collection on community development and urban sociology topics. His focus includes urban planning, affordable housing, connectivity and accessibility, resource allocation, and public-policy data analysis.
Manal SidiSenior AnalystManal Sidi, M.P.H., Senior Analyst, is experienced in quantitative and qualitative research design and data collection with a focus on community participatory research and development of culturally appropriate research materials. She currently provides technical support for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Place-Based evaluation.- Jasmine Williams-WashingtonAssociateJasmine Williams-Washington, Ph.D., Associate, specializes is in the implementation and evaluation of community organizing and organizational capacity building initiatives. Current projects include evaluations for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, SPRACC, and CFLeads.
- Danielle GilmoreSenior AnalystDanielle Gilmore, Ph.D. Candidate, Senior Analyst, has extensive research and evaluation experience in educational and social policy in both academic and non-academic contexts. Most recently, she worked with the Schenectady Foundation to identify opportunities for system change and CareQuest Institute to assess grantee diversity.
- Kien LeeVice President of ConsultingKien S. Lee, Ph.D., Vice President of Consulting, has expertise in promoting equity, inclusion, and cultural competency for health, food security, civic engagement, and leadership development. Current evaluations include those with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Colorado Trust, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
- Brandi GilbertSenior AssociateBrandi Gilbert, Ph.D., Senior Associate, specializes in community resilience, particularly around helping children and families prepare for and respond to chronic and acute stressors. She is currently leading a 5-year evaluation of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Opportunity Youth Initiative in New Orleans, aimed at improving outcomes for youth who are disconnected from career and education pathways. This included a commissioned paper to examine post-disaster social services for children and families funded by the National Academies of Sciences.
- Yen LimSr. Contracts ManagerYen Lim, B.A., Senior Contract Manager, has several decades’ experience in contract compliance, cost proposal development and submission, and contract negotiations, in both domestic and international contexts. Most recently, she has worked on agreements with clients including W.K. Kellogg, Walton Family, Conrad Hilton and other foundations.
- Marissa SalazarSenior AnalystMarissa M. Salazar, Ph.D., Senior Analyst, has expertise in critical theories and critical consciousness development, with a specialization in developing civic engagement and anti-racist efficacy. She currently works on evaluations for Schenectady Foundation, the Colorado Trust Foundation, and the Bush Foundation.
- Elisa GonzalezAssociateElisa González, Ph.D., Associate, has expertise in the social determinants of health with an emphasis on food and nutrition policies and community food systems.
- Gregory MitchellAnalystGregory Mitchell, M.S., Analyst, has research and evaluation experience in community and urban development and environmental sustainability in the United States. He works on projects with Richland County, OH to assess current and future housing needs, the Hilton Foundation to study localization in Global South development projects and equity in the United States, and the New Orleans Youth Master Plan to develop an evaluation plan to assess progress in uplifting and empowering youth voices.
- Kerlin MoralesAnalystKerlin Morales, M.B.A., Analyst, has experience in survey development, literature review, and data collection, analysis, and synthesis, specifically pertaining to social impact. Most recently, she worked with the Sitti Social Enterprise’s Refugee Self Reliance Initiative to develop content material about their processes and impact.
- Annapurna GoshManaging AssociateAnnapurna Ghosh, M.P.H., Managing Associate, is a public health researcher, evaluator, and strategic planner for a range of programs, while developing a focus on substance use disorder, HIV, and chronic diseases. She has conducted evaluations with state-level systems and individual organizations; developed evaluation plans and tools; analyzed and interpreted data (quantitative, qualitative, and social network data); conducted cost-effectiveness analyses; provided technical assistance to increase coordinated care for behavioral health; and facilitated strategic planning with community coalitions.
- David ChavisSenior FellowDavid Chavis, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, is internationally recognized for his work in the implementation, support, and evaluation of community and systems change initiatives. He is responsible for Community Science’s development and leadership, and currently directs the evaluation of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center’s technical assistance and training.
