Tara Lawley
Fairfax Station,United States
Summary
Accomplished Branch Chief at the National Center for Education Statistics with expertise in innovation management and team leadership. Demonstrated success in spearheading process improvements that significantly enhanced operational efficiency while managing cross-functional teams to meet strategic objectives. Proficient in public speaking and relationship management, consistently delivering projects on time and within budget, contributing to impactful educational data analysis and policy development. Career aspirations include further driving systemic improvements in education through data-driven insights.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Branch Chief (Supervisory Statistician)
National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education
Washington, United States
07.2019 - Current
- Company Overview: This is a federal job
- Provide leadership and direction to approximately 60 federal and contract employees, and an annual budget of approximately $12 million.
- Collaborated with other branches within the organization in order to share best practices regarding operations management.
- Negotiated contracts with suppliers or vendors in order to obtain better rates or terms on purchases made by the branch.
- Maintained regular performance appraisals for subordinates through verbal, written and on-going review programs.
- Assigned duties to employees and examined work for accuracy, neatness and timeliness.
- Implemented process improvement initiatives aimed at increasing efficiency within the branch.
- Performed regular audits of operational processes to identify areas requiring improvement or corrective action.
- Conducted reviews and evaluations for cost-reduction opportunities.
- Developed, implemented and monitored policies, procedures, and standards to ensure efficient operations of the branch.
- Worked with cross-functional teams to achieve goals.
- Collaborated closely with team members to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines.
- Developed dashboards and visualizations to present results in an easy-to-understand way.
- Maintained databases for team.
- Provided technical guidance on best practices for collecting and analyzing data.
- Created reports summarizing the statistical findings for senior management.
- Analyzed data using descriptive and multivariate statistical analysis processes.
- Determined data relationships, trends and factors that could affect research results.
- Developed and implemented data collection strategies to streamline processes and support accuracy.
- Conducted comprehensive research and data analysis to support strategic planning and informed decision-making.
- Achieved cost-savings by developing functional solutions to problems.
- Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, resolving issues efficiently and effectively.
- Prioritized and organized tasks to efficiently accomplish service goals.
- Contributed innovative ideas and solutions to enhance team performance and outcomes.
- Create goals, strategies, and activities to improve programs
- Direct the design and implementation of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) surveys of postsecondary education institutions that relate to Title IV financial aid and other domestic educational policies
- Perform the full range of supervisory duties, including negotiations and coordination of time allocations for assigned staff within the Division based on program priorities while considering workload distribution and employee capabilities
- Monitor the technical and administrative status of contracts related to the development of IT systems used for electronic data collection, cycle and frame management, and data release
- Oversee strategic planning efforts for the IPEDS surveys from development to implementation
- Organize and conduct multiple meetings a year for the technical review of issues in postsecondary education
- Examples include technical review of data for incarcerated students, noncredit activity, and student financial aid
- Lead the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative (NPEC) - IPEDS Research & Development Panel that develops the research and development agenda for IPEDS by identifying topics that will help improve the quality, comparability, and utility of IPEDS data for the postsecondary education community, consumers, and policymakers
- Oversee the research designs and final products for research papers contracted by the NPEC
- Lead stakeholder meetings to provide updates, obtain feedback, and improve the reporting and use of data
- Examples include the annual IPEDS State Data Conference for state- and system-level data coordinators, listening sessions with Chief Executives from community colleges, and meetings to update leaders from national higher education associations
- Serve as a technical expert on educational research and survey design
- Provide oral and written briefings to staff and senior officials (political appointees, senior executives, and congressional staff) on significant issues related to administrative data collection and postsecondary education
- Examples include changes in higher education due to the pandemic and differences in student outcomes collections
- Analyze new and revised laws and regulations for any effects on data collected by the Department
- Serve on inter-agency professional panels and work groups to coordinate with representatives of other federal statistical agencies to address common needs and compare program approaches
- Advise executives on overall policy and program directions and on emerging issues of national importance
- Provide feedback on proposed legislation on behalf of the Department to address information problems, clarify intent, and provide practical context to improve the final product
- Advise colleagues on the development of data collection and analysis necessary to meet program and policy objectives
- Advise other offices within the Department in areas of measurement and analysis of U.S
- Programs related to postsecondary education, financial aid, and access
- Conduct data analysis and research and assist others with data analysis and research
- Use statistical analysis to identify and help solve education issues and improve data collection
- Examples include analyzing quantitative data on distance education to make collection improvements and qualitative data from institutions to improve quality control processes
- Provide support to researchers in using data to answer research questions
- Examples include members of the press, academic researchers, and students completing research projects
- Manage federal requirements related to public information
- Oversee responses to Freedom of Information Act requests
- Develop and oversee the implementation of public information collection requests through the Office of Management and Budget, including providing the public with clear information while making process improvements
- Examples include developing new burden estimates and streamlining the presentation of materials
- This is a federal job
- Supervisor: Ross Santy (2022457749)
- Okay to contact this Supervisor: Contact me first
Survey Operations Team Lead (Statistician)
National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education
Washington, United States
07.2015 - 07.2019
- Company Overview: This is a federal job
- Manage staff and direct all phases of planning, execution, and reporting for the IPEDS data collection including:
- Identifying areas of improvement and areas of change for the IPEDS survey
- Developing strategic changes to the data collection based on improvements and industry changes and communicating them to the public and to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which approves federal collections, as well as coordinating responses to public comments regarding the changes
- Creating internal data collection and data quality processing schedules to ensure that the collection runs smoothly, and that the data collected are of high quality
- Communicating with IPEDS data providers at over 6,000 institutions and state agencies to aid them in meeting their legal requirements for reporting
- Providing direction and training to the IPEDS Help Desk to ensure that institutions are receiving appropriate guidance and can complete the survey components accurately and on time
- Providing required data to other offices within the Department of Education
- Lead the training program for the IPEDS data collection, including:
- Leading the preparation and presentation at the annual IPEDS Coordinator Meeting and State Data Conference which provides training for state higher education agencies and other IPEDS data coordinators
- Coordinating with IPEDS contractors to operate the annual NCES Data Institute, which provides an intensive introduction to NCES datasets and research methodologies, and the Institute for IPEDS Educators, which trains experienced IPEDS users in developing and delivering a curriculum that is presented nationally at multiple meetings to improve the accurate collection and use of IPEDS data
- Directing the development of IPEDS web tutorials
- Developing training materials for conferences
- Providing training by request for students, researchers, other Department of Education staff, and press
- Support staff development by:
- Providing information and resources for professional development opportunities
- Encouraging engagement with the professional community
- Offering feedback on work performance and ways to improve
- Identifying opportunities for career ladder progression
- Communicating their concerns and needs to Branch Chief as well as providing feedback to Branch Chief on the workload and capacity of project staff
- Advocating for awards and promotion for staff when appropriate
- Work with Branch Chief to identify critical staffing needs, develop position descriptions, and provide feedback on candidates
- Help to develop and review the Request for Proposals for the primary IPEDS contract and serve as task manager for other contracts, as well as aiding in determining budgetary requirements
- Facilitate communication and understanding of IPEDS data to key stakeholders including upper management, other offices in the Department of Education and other federal agencies (e.g., Homeland Security, Defense, Government Accounting Office), Congress, institutions, researchers, state higher education agencies, and students
- This is a federal job
- Supervisor: Richard Reeves (5403536007)
- Okay to contact this Supervisor: Yes
- Identified areas for improvement in processes, procedures, tools, and technologies used by the operations team.
- Maintained positive working relationship with fellow staff and management.
- Trained, mentored and motivated employees to maximize team productivity.
- Maintained open communication channels between all stakeholders involved in operations.
- Managed a portfolio of projects from conception through completion ensuring timely delivery within budget constraints.
- Identified areas for improvement, narrowing focus for decision-makers in making necessary changes.
- Organized client meetings to provide project updates.
- Trained new employees on operational protocols, significantly reducing onboarding time.
- Collaborated with other departments to ensure alignment of goals across the organization.
- Monitored daily operations and evaluated performance of staff, providing feedback and coaching as needed.
- Oversaw quality control to identify inconsistencies and malfunctions.
- Coordinated logistics and resource allocation to meet project deadlines and budget constraints.
- Set specific goals for projects to measure progress and evaluate end results.
- Ensured compliance with company policies and procedures related to operations.
- Trained new hires on operational processes and provided ongoing training for existing employees when needed.
- Facilitated team meetings to discuss operational challenges and brainstorm solutions.
- Utilized document management system to organize company files, keeping up-to-date and easily accessible data.
- Provided excellent service and attention to customers when face-to-face or through phone conversations.
- Approached customers and engaged in conversation through use of effective interpersonal and people skills.
- Provided support and guidance to colleagues to maintain a collaborative work environment.
- Worked successfully with diverse group of coworkers to accomplish goals and address issues related to our products and services.
- Collaborated with other departments to ensure that collected data was accurate and complete before being analyzed.
- Developed dashboards and visualizations to present results in an easy-to-understand way.
- Conducted exploratory data analysis on large datasets to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in the data.
- Implemented quality control assessments to promote improved reviews of data.
- Provided technical guidance on best practices for collecting and analyzing data.
- Performed exploratory data analysis to uncover patterns in large datasets.
- Translated complex analytical results into plain language understandable by non-technical stakeholders.
- Created reports summarizing the statistical findings for senior management.
- Recognized by management for providing exceptional customer service.
Survey Director (Statistician/Associate Research Scientist)
National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education
Washington, United States
06.2007 - 07.2015
- Company Overview: This is a federal job
- Directed research activities of the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative (NPEC), which identifies key education policy issues and indicators and manages the development of reports that help improve the IPEDS data collection
- Managed and conducted IPEDS Technical Review Panel meetings (expert meetings), which discuss and deliberate policies that impact federal data collection
- Served as survey director for graduation rates, outcome measures, enrollment, admissions, student charges, and academic libraries survey components
- Provided statistical support to data users, including providing them with basic statistical and survey methodology and helping them consider various approaches to statistical problems
- Developed new survey components for data collection
- Managed the contractor during the development of the IPEDS Data Center
- Provided feedback to NCES publications including IPEDS First Look publications, The Digest of Education, and The Condition of Education
- This is a federal job
- Supervisor: Elise Miller (2022889299)
- Okay to contact this Supervisor: Yes
- Analyzed customer feedback data to identify trends in product performance or customer service issues.
- Coordinated activities with other departments to expedite work and improve collaboration.
- Spearheaded the development and launch of new products or services.
- Used excellent verbal skills to engage customers in conversation and effectively determine needs and requirements.
- Represented the organization at industry events, conferences, and public meetings.
- Analyzed data to inform decision-making and strategic direction.
- Promoted a culture of innovation and encouraged staff to contribute ideas.
- Used strong issue resolution and communication skills to cultivate and strengthen lasting client relationships.
- Served as a public spokesperson at industry events or conferences.
- Facilitated collaboration between teams by encouraging open communication channels.
- Assisted with customer requests and answered questions to improve satisfaction.
- Completed day-to-day duties accurately and efficiently.
- Contributed innovative ideas and solutions to enhance team performance and outcomes.
- Maintained updated knowledge through continuing education and advanced training.
- Collaborated closely with team members to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines.
- Recognized by management for providing exceptional customer service.
- Approached customers and engaged in conversation through use of effective interpersonal and people skills.
- Exceeded customer satisfaction by finding creative solutions to problems.
- Determined data relationships, trends and factors that could affect research results.
- Collaborated with other departments to ensure that collected data was accurate and complete before being analyzed.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of current industry trends in order to provide better solutions.
- Worked effectively in team environments to make the workplace more productive.
- Provided support and guidance to colleagues to maintain a collaborative work environment.
- Identified needs of customers promptly and efficiently.
- Collaborated with other researchers within the organization on joint research initiatives.
- Recommended new systems and processes to improve operations.
- Participated in development of operating guides.
- Shared research findings through publications, presentations and conferences.
- Performed data analysis, interpretation and presentation of results in reports.
Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment
Kaplan Higher Education
Chicago, United States
03.2006 - 06.2007
- Developed and maintained a research and assessment program for two colleges to improve academic programs and college services, as well as prepare for regional accreditation visit
- Developed an institutional effectiveness plan which included processes for collecting relevant statistics and metrics for two institutions, coordinating research projects, implementing an academic assessment program, and data collection related to student satisfaction
- Revised curriculum with department chairs in more than 10 programs to prepare for assessment
- Analyzed data and prepared reports based on data from national educational statistics and student surveys to present to strategic planning/steering committees at two campuses
- Advised multiple parties regarding data usage, including college presidents, vice presidents, deans, and department chairs
- Collaborated with research team to develop new tools to improve assessment of student learning outcomes
- Developed and implemented surveys with various campus departments
- Supervisor: Craig Bach (7733664289)
- Okay to contact this Supervisor: Contact me first
- Used strong issue resolution and communication skills to cultivate and strengthen lasting client relationships.
- Conducted regular meetings with department heads to review progress on strategic initiatives.
- Coordinated activities with other departments to expedite work and improve collaboration.
- Led cross-functional teams to drive project completion within budget and deadlines.
- Cultivated relationships with stakeholders to secure support and funding for key initiatives.
- Coordinated with regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with laws and standards.
- Analyzed data to inform decision-making and strategic direction.
- Collaborated with senior leadership to set long-term objectives for the company.
- Used excellent verbal skills to engage customers in conversation and effectively determine needs and requirements.
- Facilitated collaboration between teams by encouraging open communication channels.
- Promoted a culture of innovation and encouraged staff to contribute ideas.
- Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, resolving issues efficiently and effectively.
- Promoted high customer satisfaction by resolving problems with knowledgeable and friendly service.
- Maintained updated knowledge through continuing education and advanced training.
- Updated and maintained databases with current information.
Education
Ph.D. - Child Development
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN01-2006
Master of Arts - Child Development
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN01-2004
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL01-2001
Skills
- Staffing optimization
- Innovation management
- Excels in team leadership
- Relationship building and management
- Employee development
- Public speaking
- Reporting
- Strategic planning
- Process improvement
Timeline
Branch Chief (Supervisory Statistician)
National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education
07.2019 - Current
Survey Operations Team Lead (Statistician)
National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education
07.2015 - 07.2019
Survey Director (Statistician/Associate Research Scientist)
National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education
06.2007 - 07.2015
Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment
Kaplan Higher Education
03.2006 - 06.2007
Ph.D. - Child Development
University of Minnesota
Master of Arts - Child Development
University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
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