Dr. Mikala L. Rahn, Founder and CEO, has managed evaluation projects involving analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from and across multiple agencies for more than 25 years. Prior to founding PW, Dr. Rahn had experience in other research organizations managing small- and large-scale projects. As the director of our evaluation and research projects, Dr. Rahn supports our team with initial planning and facilitation of evaluation and study designs. She reviews qualitative and quantitative methodologies and outcome study designs of evaluation and research projects. Dr. Rahn has managed evaluation projects at the federal, state and county levels studying governmental system challenges as they relate to a wide range of policy areas including K-12 and postsecondary education, social services, workforce development, youth development and justice-involved youth. Dr. Rahn has a PhD in Education Administration-Policy Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, with Masters in Education Administration and Political Science and a BA in Communications from the University of California, San Diego.

Patricia O’Driscoll, MPA is Vice President for Research and Evaluation and is a founding member of the PW staff who manages the day-to-day work of the research and evaluation team. She serves as a point of contact for clients to manage work flow, deliverables and provides consultation regarding reporting and communicating project results. At PW, she has led multiple studies to offer solutions for systemic challenges from pre-school through postsecondary education, workforce development and supporting community-based organizations. Ms. O’Driscoll is an experienced researcher providing evaluation and technical assistance in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including large-scale data collection efforts, survey design and administration, analysis of participant outcomes, and qualitative data collection and analysis including interviewing techniques, site visits and case study design. Ms. O’Driscoll has a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington’s Graduate School of Public Affairs and Bachelors degrees from the University of California Santa Cruz in Community Studies and Politics.

Albert Chen, Data Analyst, has served as the primary data analyst at Public Works since 2000. He is experienced with data query, extraction, compilation, and has advanced proficiency with various analytical tools and software including mastering SPSS, Excel, Filemaker, and our own customized databases. He has processed and analyzed quantitative data for many of the company’s projects. Mr. Chen has extensive experience in analyzing survey data, program outcome data, Census data, and mapping information. He uses his expertise in database creation, population and maintenance, performing precise statistical analyses and storing the qualitative and quantitative data that are the lifeblood of Public Works. Mr. Chen is the central technology cog that enables the company to deliver services and reports at a consistently high level of quality and efficiency to its clients.

DeShon Beck, Research Project Associate, supports research, evaluation, and reporting projects at Public Works, with work focused on data quality, analysis, grant reporting, and database support. He works with Excel, Care4, SPSS, and R to clean, merge, organize, and analyze program data, and also supports staff training and documentation for our clients. Prior to joining Public Works, DeShon held roles with DraftKings and the Stockton Ports, where he gained experience in data operations, reporting, sales operations, relationship management, and team leadership. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Lisa Evans Powell, DSW, MSW, MPP is a Southern California native who holds Master’s degrees in Social Welfare and Public Policy from UCLA and a Doctorate of Social Work from the University of Southern California. Dr. Powell has an extensive and varied background in the areas of non-profit organizations, social services, public education, and evaluation research. Her work designing and implementing program evaluation research in public education and social services utilizes her expertise in a range of evaluation methodologies. In addition to her research roles for schools and organizations, she has worked at the frontlines of aging and end of life issues.

Brad Schleder’s most recent work for PW included support for the evaluation of the Exploratorium’s Discovery K12 Spanning Boundaries project, analyzing meeting transcripts, teacher surveys, and leadership journey activities. He is also the lead author of an article detailing the roles and relationships of the leading California science and STEM education organizations, the California Landscape of Science Teacher Professional Learning Support. He has also worked under the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementation Initiative (EII) and assisted PW on a variety of California Math and Science Partnership (CaMSP) projects. Brad began his career as a middle school science teacher and science specialist in the Bay Area.

Emma Scott has been a consultant for Public Works since 2024 and is currently a graduate student in the department of communication at UC Santa Barbara, primarily studying the social contexts and consequences of political humor. At Public Works, Emma supports tasks related to quantitative data analysis and database maintenance using their statistical and programming skills. In their own academic research they combine quantitative and qualitative methods, including experiments, computational work, and community engaged research methods. Emma received a bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego, with a double major in sociology and political science and a concentration in data analytics. Prior to starting at Public Works, Emma worked as a research analyst on a contract with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, conducting research on state-level mental health policy and access to care.