Data at Work
Combining Hi-Tech and Hi-Touch to Achieve Results
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Staff
Baker, Tara,
Unit Coordinator
Church, Joshua, B.S., M.S.
Web Developer
Joshua is a Web Developer at CRI. He keeps himself busy with maintaining the CRI website as well as developing various web applications for non-profit organizations. He works closely with CRI researchers and the clients to insure product satisfaction. Prior to coming to CRI Joshua attended Ferris State University where he received his Masters in Information Systems Management. While at Ferris he worked at the Volunteer Center where he built a system to connect students with volunteering opportunities and included management tools for staff. Before leaving he helped develop a system to record Co-Curricular Transcripts. He also worked at the Graduate Programs as a web developer and tech support.
Cline, Greg, Ph.D.
CCPS Research Fellow | Assistant Professor, School of Public Nonprofit Administration
Receiving a PhD in Political Science in 2001 from Michigan State University, Greg’s focus has been on state and community-level social change efforts, with a primary focus on the issue areas of health and public health. He attended the University of Toledo before and after a four year tour in the U.S. Army. Greg received a BS degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Political Science, Economics & Korean) in 1990. Taking a leave of absence from his graduate studies in 1995, for full time employment at the Michigan Public Health Institute, where he eventually rose to become a Senior Program Director, focusing on program evaluation, public health and health policy analysis, demonstration projects and applied research projects. Prior to coming to GVSU, Greg spent two years working for the home office of Trinity Health as the system wide grant writer. Founder and Editor of the Michigan Journal of Public Health, a peer reviewed journal published twice a year by the Michigan Public Health Association. Greg and his wife Kelly, have three children: Eva-20, Ellisif-16 and Miles-5. He enjoys spending time out doors, deer hunting, reading, and collecting films (from almost every era of filmmaking since the introduction of sound to film).
De Jong, Fred, Ph.D.
Senior Research Consultant
Dr. De Jong lends his research, program development and publishing expertise in support of CRI’s work with nonprofit organizations. His research currently centers on intervention effectiveness, access to health care by low income and stigmatized groups, substance abuse treatment effectiveness, treatment factors among dual-disordered homeless populations, best practice dissemination among psychiatrists serving the chronically mentally ill, measuring the influence of faith-based organizational mission on program implementation choices and resultant client outcomes and the process of building social capital, particularly among participants in faith-based communities. Dr. De Jong earned his B.A. degree in psychology, sociology and theology from Dordt College, 1975, a Master of Social Work degree in 1978 and a Master’s degree of Public Affairs in 1979, both from the University of Minnesota. His Ph.D. was earned in Social Welfare and Public Health from UCLA in 1991.
Edwards, James, Ph.D.
Director
James Edwards is Interim Director of the Community Research Institute for the Dorothy A. Johnson Center at Grand Valley State University and an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Grand Valley State University. He earned his doctorate in Social Work from Michigan State University. Prior to moving into higher education, James was the program director of the network 180 Access Center in Kent County. Additionally, he has direct service experience in Child welfare and Juvenile Justice. Edwards’ recent research has centered on human service agencies’ use of technology; an evaluation of employee attitudes on using technology in a northern Michigan human service agency; a qualitative study of computer mediated intimate relationship development; an Environmental Scan of Mental Health, Developmental Disability and Substance Use service need in Kent County; and an evaluation of a Teen Abstinence program. His dissertation work is examined how women in recovery use technology and the role of the treatment provider in supporting client technology use.
Feliz Santana, Eleibny, BSc., MSc.
Database & System Security Administrator
Eleibny is the Database and System Security Administrator at CRI. She is in charge of managing efficient and secure access to the data. She received her Bachelor degree of Software engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and her Master degree of Distributed and Multimedia Information Systems from Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. She has previous experience in the manufacturing, telecommunication and government fields.
Maciak, TJ, B.S.
Programmer
TJ is a programmer and administrator of free and open source based technologies. He has been using computers since 1983 and obtained a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Grand Valley State University in 1999. He has been working professionally in the Information Technology field since 2000 and has been working for the Community Research Institute since 2006. He is also currently pursuing a M.S. degree in Computer Information Systems which he anticipates obtaining in 2011. He enjoys working with Java, Perl, PHP, Javascript, CSS, GIS, VMware, Apache, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Centos Linux, Fedora Linux, Osx, Unix, Microsoft (Dos and Windows), Limesurvey, Mapserver, OpenLayers, QGIS, PostGis, Oracle, MySQL, Postgresql and Foswiki.
Pyne, Jeremy, B.S., M.P.A.
GIS Specialist
Jeremy joined the Community Research Institute in 2006 as a GIS Specialist where he specializes in demographic mapping, GIS data analysis, address level datasets, federal datasets, data management, project management and Open Source GIS. Jeremy is the project manager for the CRI MAPAS site that was launched in 2008 and is actively involved in all data content utilized in CRI interactive tools and projects. His experience in mapping and content has helped frame how CRI disseminates data to the West Michigan community. In 2008 he was co-author of a published paper titled “The Brain Drain Wars: Characteristics of Recent Movers into and out of Michigan” using American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Samples. Currently, he teaches the GIS in public service course in the MPA program at Grand Valley State University and conducts community training sessions on public web-based data sources and tools. Growing up in northern Kent County he has a strong knowledge of the West Michigan area calling this area his home for more than 30 years. Jeremy holds a Masters of Public Administration degree (MPA) with a focus on Urban and Regional Affairs and a B.S. in Geography both from Grand Valley State University.
Risley, John, Ph.D
Senior Researcher
John has a Ph.D in Evaluation (Public Policy Evaluation) from Western Michigan University. He comes to us from the Greater Kalamazoo United Way. At the United Way John served as Community Investment Associate working with member agencies and other community organizations addressing the local health and human services needs. He provided technical assistance to member agencies developing logic models, and measuring their program outcomes. He helped create a system, including survey instruments, to evaluate GKUW's community investment divisions effectiveness. He reviewed grant applications and advised community investment volunteers on grant awards. He trained GKUW volunteers, member agency staff members, and other community stakeholders on topics including consensus decision-making, measuring program outcomes, and evaluation.
Rotondaro, Gustavo, B.A., MUPPD
Associate Director and GIS Manager
Gustavo Rotondaro is the Associate Director and GIS Manager at CRI. In that capacity, he is responsible for data partnerships, management and distribution of the Community Information System data content. He also coordinates the development of interactive tools for community analysis, data display, and dissemination. Prior to joining CRI, Rotondaro worked for the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization in Cleveland, Ohio and for the Northern Ohio Data and Information Services (NODIS) at the Urban Center at Cleveland State University conducting GIS analysis, data distribution, and map production. Gustavo received his Masters of Urban Planning Design and Development (MUPDD) from the Maxime Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and Geographic Information Systems certifications in MapInfo and ESRI products.
Yalda, Christine, JD, MS, PhD
CCPS Research Fellow | Assistant Professor, School of Criminal Justice
Dr. Christine A. Yalda received her B. A. in Education from the University of Michigan, her law degree from Boston University Law School, and her doctorate in justice studies from Arizona State University. Dr. Yalda served as a staff attorney with DNA Peoples’ Legal Services in the Navajo Nation; as a staff attorney, and then director, for Four Rivers Indian Legal Services, serving various Arizona tribes; and as a civil rights trial attorney with the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Phoenix District Office. Dr. Yalda began teaching at Arizona State University in 1994 and joined the GVSU faculty in August 2004, with responsibilities in both the criminal justice and legal studies programs. Her research and teaching interests include youth & justice; civil rights & human rights; culture, crime, and justice; and qualitative research methods. Dr. Yalda has taught a broad range of classes at both undergraduate and graduate levels. She has served as Chair of the GVSU Faculty Teaching and Learning Center Advisory Committee. Dr. Yalda has been actively involved in various research partnerships and community service projects, including with juvenile and adult courts and social service programs. She has received numerous university, community, and state-wide awards recognizing her contributions, especially as a faculty mentor.
Research Manager 1 (position is currently open)
Research Manager 2 (position is currently open)
Students
Colleen Cameron
Web / Graphic Designer
I am an undergraduate assistant web and graphic designer for CRI. I work primarily with Adobe Creative Suite, and movie editing software. I will graduate in 2010 with a BFA in Graphic Design and a minor in Information Systems.
Chad Cogan
Graduate Assistant
I'm a graduate student conducting research for CRI, and I am a Biostatistics Masters student at GVSU. I expect to graduate in April of 2010. I conduct literary reviews and assist investigators at CRI with their research. This involves writing, investigating various studies, statistical calculations, etc.
Kallie Dimkoff
Research Assistant
I am an undergraduate assistant at CRI. My work is both technical and research-based, including wiki-page creation and data display. At Grand Valley, I am majoring in Management Information Systems and minoring in Applied Statistics.
Sam Dykstra
GIS Assistant
I am an undergraduate assistant working on GIS projects here at CRI. I am currently a senior at Grand Valley working toward a major in Geography and Planning with an emphasis in GIS and a minor in Informational Technology. At CRI, I create maps based on data requests in GIS software to meet different users needs.
Alex Larson
Research Assistant
I'm an undergraduate research assistant for CRI where I conduct qualitative research, and develop informative materials to assist CRI operations. Currently I'm interning at the Johnson Center conducting marketing research and assisting in developing the marketing plan. I am a senior at Grand Valley State University graduating in Spring 2010 with a B.S. in Health Communications.
Kyle Legant
Research Assistant
I am an undergraduate research assistant and I spend most of my time helping on different projects of Dr. Fred DeJong. I am majoring in Anthropology and double minoring in Archaeology and Classics.
Wes Miller
Graduate Assistant
I am a graduate assistant working with the Michigan Nonprofit Association on their various research needs. I will graduate with a Master of Public Administration from GVSU in May 2010.
Eric Prince
Research Assistant
I am a statistics major and I plan to graduate in 2011.
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