Talia Mercado
Cambridge,MA
Summary
Experienced Education Consultant with a passion for helping superintendents and district leaders drive meaningful improvements in human capital, strategic budgeting, scheduling, and special education. Skilled in optimizing resource allocation and operational efficiency to enhance student outcomes. Adept at providing strategic guidance, implementing best practices, and collaborating with educational leaders to create sustainable, impactful change.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Associate Consultant
District Management Group
06.2022 - Current
- Under the guidance of a DMConsulting Director, supports the development and management of multi-year strategies for our client school districts by collecting data, conducting analysis, developing key recommendations, and presenting the findings to clients.
- Supports successful implementation of strategy while working across multiple client school districts through effective project management and regular communication.
- Ensures that clients fully understand solutions presented, demonstrating patience, empathy, and an appreciation for organizational dynamics and the barriers to change.
- Conducts primary and secondary research to expand our library of district case studies, best practices and rigorous analytical frameworks designed specifically for school districts.
- Works collaboratively with internal staff to ensure the continued growth and effectiveness of DMGroup's programs, including our membership network and events, research and publications, software, and consulting.
Account Manager
Ipsos North America
04.2019 - 05.2021
- Successfully managed $500K+ worth of projects annually working closely with Operations groups and Analysts to oversee all study components including performing quality checks to guarantee research accuracy mitigating errors and monitoring study budgets to ensure profitable margins
- Provided strategic consultation to diverse portfolio of clients to ensure understanding of their research questions/methodologies to address key business challenges
- Analyzed and interpreted survey results; prepare reports and presentations resulting in overall client satisfaction and business retention
- Presented findings to clients and ensured that all study objectives and questions are met
- Researched client business realities and the industries in which they operate to better advise on future projects
Contributed on proposals and pricing for potential research for current and new clients - Mentored incoming analysts providing support with day-to-day project management and onboarding training
Senior Research Analyst
Ipsos North America
03.2018 - 04.2019
- Managed project timelines, internal partners, and multiple priorities to ensure tasks stay on schedule and within scope.
- Reviewed and interpreted survey data, finalized links and data tables, and assisted with analytic planning and reporting.
Research Analyst
Ipsos North America
08.2016 - 03.2018
- Oversaw the launch and ongoing maintenance of research studies, ensuring technical specifications were accurately created and maintained in proprietary software.
- Conducted in-depth quality checks at every stage, verified data accuracy, and collaborated with internal teams (data collection, coding, and processing) to ensure study integrity.
- Identified and resolved project issues as they arose, ensuring smooth study execution and high-quality deliverables.
Americorps National Teaching Fellow
Citizen Schools
06.2015 - 06.2016
- Prepared, differentiated, and taught math and electives to diverse classes of 15-26 students at the 7th grade level
- Served as mentor to students by facilitating weekly 1:1 discussions on topics including grades, overall performance, and life events both positive and challenging
- Conducted interviews with several potential candidates as part of the Citizen Schools interview committee
- Fostered positive relationships between families and the school through weekly phone calls to parents regarding their child's progress
- Helped to translate (Spanish) between homeroom teachers and parents during quarterly parent teacher conferences
Citizen Teacher Lead
Citizen Schools
06.2015 - 06.2016
- Served as liaison between teaching fellows and Citizen Teacher volunteers
- Led apprenticeship curriculum trainings for incoming Citizen Teachers volunteers
- Contributed to the end of semester apprenticeship showcase by securing donations for food, prizes, and family entertainment
- Assisted in leading staff development by administering, analyzing, and translating weekly survey data from campus staff and quarterly survey data from volunteers for program improvement
Education
Master of Education - Education Policy and Analysis
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Cambridge, MA05.2022
Bachelor of the Arts - Government
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY05.2015
Skills
- Problem-solving & critical thinking
- Data analysis & interpretation
- Strategic planning & execution
- Market research
- Project management
- Client relationship management
- Presentation & public speaking
- Report writing & storytelling with data
- Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, financial modeling)
- Education Managment Consulting
- Survey design & analysis
Hobbies and Interests
- World traveler
- Public policy
- Education policy
- Cooking
- Reading
- Boston sports
- Animal rescue
Internship And Project Experience
- National Center on Time and Learning, Boston, MA, Public Policy and Communications Intern, 06/01/14, 08/31/14
- Massachusetts State House, Boston, MA, Intern for State Representative Marjorie Decker, 06/01/14, 08/31/14
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Interests
- Cooking
- Music
- Team Sports
- Travel
- Avid Reader
Timeline
Senior Associate Consultant
District Management Group
06.2022 - Current
Account Manager
Ipsos North America
04.2019 - 05.2021
Senior Research Analyst
Ipsos North America
03.2018 - 04.2019
Research Analyst
Ipsos North America
08.2016 - 03.2018
Americorps National Teaching Fellow
Citizen Schools
06.2015 - 06.2016
Citizen Teacher Lead
Citizen Schools
06.2015 - 06.2016
Bachelor of the Arts - Government
Hamilton College
Master of Education - Education Policy and Analysis
Harvard Graduate School of Education
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