Connie Park

Dr. Connie Park holds a Ph.D. in Community Psychology and an M.A. in Psychology from Wichita State University. With over 15 years of experience in applied social science research, she specializes in program evaluation, research design, and capacity building across various domains, including child welfare, mental health, and community development. Dr. Park provides technical guidance and training to diverse organizations, including government agencies, non-profits, and for-profit businesses. Her expertise covers areas such as cost analysis, social network analysis, evaluation design, performance measurement, grant writing, and evaluation reporting. She has contributed significantly to the success of various initiatives aimed at improving the safety and well-being of historically marginalized communities throughout her career.

Dr. Park has overseen a diverse range of program evaluations funded by federal agencies and foundations. Presently, she holds the position of Project Director for an evaluation initiative funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. In this role, she leads the evaluation of capacity building in three demonstration communities. These communities are actively engaged in collaboratively designing community-centered prevention strategies to eliminate the need for group home placement for Black and Brown children and youth in or at-risk of entering the child welfare system. Additionally, Dr. Park serves as the Deputy Director for the Building Evidence Technical Assistance project. In this capacity, she facilitates the development of essential components such as a logic model, theory of change, fidelity tools, and evaluation plan for an intervention geared towards promoting responsible parenting among fathers involved in the child welfare system.

Dr. Park also worked closely with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to disaggregate national datasets to uncover disparities in arts access and participation. Currently, she leads the development of a comprehensive monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan for an NEA equity pilot initiative. This initiative aims to bolster capacity-building efforts within non-profit arts and cultural organizations, with a specific focus on enhancing arts participation in underserved communities.

Additionally, Dr. Park serves as a capacity-building specialist for the Tribal Evaluation Institute. In this role, she provides support to tribal home visiting grantees and Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families-Child Welfare Coordination grantees.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Dr. Park is deeply engaged in community advocacy. She currently serves as the Director of Make Us Visible Virginia, a grassroots coalition dedicated to advocating for the inclusion of Asian American history in K-12 public schools. Furthermore, as a mother of two children, Dr. Park actively participates in Fairfax County Public Schools Families of Fairfax County, a group selected to directly engage with the Superintendent, providing a bi-monthly platform to voice community concerns and needs.