Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Certification
Selected Publications
Timeline
Generic

Cleo Jacobs Johnson

Summary

Dynamic professional with extensive hands-on experience in applied research and employee experience enhancement, adept at navigating complex challenges. Strong problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to new tasks consistently drive innovative solutions. Recognized for adaptability, creativity, and a results-oriented mindset aligned with organizational objectives. Committed to contributing meaningfully to team success and overall company goals.

Overview

16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Social Science Researcher

Mathematica
01.2009 - 07.2025
  • Led the design and execution of over a dozen research projects for federal and philanthropic clients in the areas of early childhood care and education, family strengthening, K-12 education, and military-connected groups.
  • Reviewed technical and professional publications and journals to stay current on recent literature and make more strategic research decisions.
  • Designed projects aligned to funders’ goals, strategic priorities, and areas of inquiry to achieve desired outcomes.
  • Provided comprehensive operational, strategic, and logistical leadership across multiple projects and project teams simultaneously.
  • Managed and tracked a diverse portfolio of ongoing tasks, coordinated efforts across different teams and stakeholders, anticipated and resolved challenges.
  • Led stakeholder engagement activities with funders, community organizations, children, parents, grantee and school staff, and subject matter experts.
  • Led interdisciplinary research teams to design and implement innovative evaluation methodologies.
  • Managed project timelines and deliverables, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and client expectations.
  • Implemented robust quality assurance measures throughout all stages of projects, ensuring utmost reliability in generated results.
  • Spearheaded interdisciplinary collaborations between different areas of expertise, enabling more holistic problem-solving approaches in tackling complex issues.
  • Evaluated project progress regularly through rigorous monitoring protocols to ensure timely completion of milestones.
  • Championed diversity initiatives within the team by creating a supportive environment that embraced varying perspectives and backgrounds among researchers.
  • Improved team performance by streamlining workflows and optimizing resource allocation strategies.
  • Mentored junior researchers, providing guidance on best practices and encouraging their professional growth.
  • Developed comprehensive reports synthesizing findings for policy recommendations and stakeholder engagement.
  • Presented research findings at national conferences, influencing policy discussions and dissemination strategies.

Director, DEI Implementation and Engagement

Mathematica
09.2021 - 03.2025
  • Applied strategic planning methodology, including internal and external stakeholder engagement activities, to develop and co-author Mathematica’s 5-year DEI strategic plan.
  • Provided full operational, strategic, and logistical support for plan implementation and conducted routine meetings to discuss project status, support professional development, and share best practices.
  • Managed and tracked a diverse portfolio of work for over 10 cross-functional teams to accelerate strategic plan execution and achieve desired outcomes in the areas of workforce composition, workplace culture and climate, research practices, and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
  • Designed and launched multiple enterprise-wide initiatives to improve employee experience including the employee resource group/network (ERG/ERN) program, staff recognition program, Community Conversation program for underrepresented groups, equitable research practices consultation service, and project director trainings. Project director training participants’ feedback indicated the training provided readily applicable information and contained relevant practice exercises.
  • Managed multiple employee programs, ERG/ERN program with 8 groups and the Employee Experience Council with 20 staff members. Responsible for guiding recruitment and onboarding of ERG/ERN leaders and executive sponsors, overseeing each ERG/ERN’s annual planning, budgeting, events, and activities, supporting ERG/ERN leaders, executive sponsors, and groups, and reporting program impact. Enabled ERGs/ERNs to successfully execute programming aligned with corporate values, priorities, and culture goals.
  • Led variety of employee engagement activities to generate insights to inform new initiatives, program design, assess implementation, and identify areas for improvement.
  • Co-developed a proposal to redesign the company’s volunteer program in response to the increase in the number of staff working from home to bring equity to the volunteer program and offer regional volunteer opportunities.
  • Presented findings and recommended solutions to various leadership teams, including executive leadership, to gain support and approval for programming.
  • Partnered closely with Communications and Change Management colleagues to develop and execute annual internal and external communications plan.
  • Fostered relationships with key stakeholders to drive collaboration and enhance project outcomes.
  • Developed performance metrics to assess program effectiveness and inform decision-making processes.
  • Proactively identified potential risks and implemented mitigation strategies to minimize negative impacts on projects or business operations.
  • Enhanced data-driven decision-making by implementing advanced analytics and reporting tools.
  • Enhanced stakeholder satisfaction with timely and transparent communication strategies.
  • Assisted in recruiting, hiring and training of team members.

Supervisor

Mathematica
07.2011 - 02.2020
  • Supervised over 60 early- and mid-career research staff, supporting their career goals and development through strategic project roles and professional development opportunities.
  • Participated in recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes for new staff.
  • Educated staff on organizational mission and goals to help employees achieve success.
  • Conducted thorough employee evaluations to identify areas for growth and development, leading to more skilled workforce.
  • Mentored junior staff members in their career development, sharing knowledge from years of experience in the field.
  • Boosted team morale and performance, organizing regular training sessions and motivational meetings.
  • Provided reporting for forecast analysis and ad-hoc reporting in support of decision-making.

Education

Ph.D. - Applied Psychology and Human Development

University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

M.A. - Psychology and Statistics

University of Illinois-Chicago
Chicago, IL

B.S. - Human Development and Family Studies

Cornell University
Ithaca, NY

Skills

  • Project management expertise
  • Strategic planning
  • Research, data collection, and analysis
  • Continuous improvement initiatives
  • Multi-project coordination
  • Information dissemination techniques
  • Team and stakeholder collaboration
  • Friendly, positive attitude
  • Versatile in dynamic environments
  • Reliable and accountable
  • Excellent communication
  • Issue resolution

Accomplishments

    Co-authored and supported implementation of enterprise-wide five-year DEI strategic plan.

    Amplified research impact through thought leadership and policy influence, notably in the area of military children and families by contributing to federal legislation, federal legislation and the creation of the multi-sector Hidden Helpers Coalition.

Certification

Diversity Equity, and Inclusion Certificate, Cornell University

Selected Publications

  • Jacobs Johnson, Cleo. “Progress Together Toward a More Diverse and Inclusive Mathematica.” Blog post. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica, December 2019. Available upon request.
  • Jacobs Johnson, C. and Siddiqui, N. “Child Care Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Supporting Informal Child Care Providers and Families.” Blog post. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica, June 2020. Available at https://www.mathematica.org/commentary/child-care-amid-the-covid-19-pandemic-supporting-informal-child-care-providers-and-families.

Timeline

Director, DEI Implementation and Engagement

Mathematica
09.2021 - 03.2025

Supervisor

Mathematica
07.2011 - 02.2020

Social Science Researcher

Mathematica
01.2009 - 07.2025

Ph.D. - Applied Psychology and Human Development

University of Pennsylvania

M.A. - Psychology and Statistics

University of Illinois-Chicago

B.S. - Human Development and Family Studies

Cornell University

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