Seminary to Early Ministry (SEM) Study

Longitudinal Mixed Methods Research

Overview

A multi-year cohort study following divinity school students from matriculation through the early years of their professional careers. The study examines how educational institutions shape career pathways, health, beliefs, and early work experiences.

Methods

• Longitudinal in-depth interviews

• Annual surveys

• Ethnographic site visits

My Role

• Lead qualitative research design and data collection across multiple waves

• Oversee longitudinal interview protocols

• Direct qualitative data analysis and coding strategy

• Manage large-scale qualitative data sets (400+ interviews)

• Collaborate on mixed-methods integration

Key Contributions

• Developed a longitudinal qualitative framework for tracking career trajectories

• Identified patterns in professional formation and institutional influence

• Lead academic publications and stakeholder-facing reports

Impact

Findings from the study have informed conversations about theological education, clergy wellbeing, and institutional support structures.

Politics and Polarization in Mainline Protestant Congregations

Mixed Methods Research on Religious Authority and Political Speech

Overview

This project examines how clergy navigate political division and polarization within congregational settings, with a particular focus on the role of sermons as a site of political and social authority. To do so, we bring together a large corpus of sermon data collected from United Methodist clergy in North Carolina—over 20,000 sermons collected between March 2020 and February 2021—alongside matched longitudinal survey data, congregational demographic data, and in-depth interviews with clergy.

Methods

• Large-scale text dataset (20,000+ sermons)

• Longitudinal survey data with clergy (matched to individual sermons)

• Congregational demographic data

• In-depth qualitative interviews (n=45)

• Multi-source data integration across qualitative and quantitative data

My Role

• Co-developed the project’s conceptual framework and research design

• Co-authored grant proposals securing project funding

• Led the qualitative interview component, including instrument design, data collection, and analysis

• Contributed to the collection, cleaning, and analysis of large-scale sermon text data

• Collaborate on mixed-methods integration and interpretation

• Co-author academic papers and stakeholder-facing reports

Key Contributions

• Developing an integrated research design linking sermon text, survey data, and interviews

• Analyzing how clergy understand and navigate political speech in religious contexts

• Identifying patterns in when and how political content appears in sermons

Impact/Research Goals

The project aims to better understand when and how clergy function as political and social authorities, and how institutional, demographic, and individual factors shape political expression in religious settings. It will provide insight into how leaders communicate about contested issues within organizations and how institutional contexts shape that communication. This information will also be used to inform programs, trainings, and support structures for clergy navigating the challenges of rising political polarization. 

Reflections in Ministry Study

Longitudinal Qualitative Research on Clergy Careers and Occupational Wellbeing

Overview

This interview-based study examines the career experiences of United Methodist clergy in North Carolina, with a focus on occupational wellbeing, institutional support, and professional development over time. The project is based on two waves of in-depth interviews with 50 clergy. The first wave (June–November 2020) focused on clergy experiences during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, examining how leaders navigated uncertainty, public health restrictions, and rapid organizational change. The second wave follows clergy’s longer-term career trajectories, exploring major challenges, sources of support, and gaps in professional training.

Methods

• Longitudinal in-depth interviews (two waves, n=50)

• Semi-structured interview design

• Qualitative coding and thematic analysis

• Comparative analysis across time points

My Role

• Led qualitative data analysis across both waves of interviews

• Managed and maintained the full qualitative dataset

• Designed and directed the development of coding frameworks and analytic strategy

• Led the writing of research reports, presentations, and publications

• Advise on all ongoing and future projects using this dataset

Key Contributions

• Identifying how clergy navigated uncertainty and institutional disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Analyzing patterns in career challenges, coping strategies, and sources of support over time

• Documenting gaps in training and institutional preparation across career stages

• Generating insights into how organizational structures shape occupational wellbeing

Impact/Research Goals

Findings from this study have informed stakeholder-facing reports, presentations, and publications on clergy wellbeing and institutional support. Ongoing work is being used to inform communication and strategy with denominational leaders, with the goal of strengthening support systems and improving clergy occupational wellbeing over time. 

In addition to my academic research, I have led and contributed to applied research and evaluation projects in partnership with nonprofit, educational, and professional organizations.

Gap Year Association

Field-Wide Research and Program Evaluation in Experiential Education

Overview

As Chair of the Gap Year Association’s Research Committee, I led and contributed to research initiatives aimed at strengthening data-informed practice across the field of gap year education.

Methods

• Field-wide survey design and implementation

• Program evaluation advising

• Mixed-methods research design

My Role

• Led the design and implementation of a field-wide survey of gap year programs

• Advised member organizations on program evaluation strategies and data collection

• Supported the development of data-informed approaches to program design and improvement

• Presented findings and recommendations to association leaders and practitioners

Impact

This work has supported the development of shared data infrastructure and evaluation capacity across the field and informed program development and decision-making among member organizations.

International Education Program Evaluation

End-to-End Mixed-Methods Evaluation of an International, Experiential Learning Program

Overview

Designed and led a mixed-methods program evaluation of an international education program to understand participant experiences and assess program impacts.

Methods

• Pre- and post-program surveys

• In-depth interviews

• Field observations

• Integration of qualitative and survey data

My Role

• Conceptualized and designed the evaluation study

• Secured funding to support the project

• Led all aspects of research design, data collection, and analysis

• Integrated qualitative and survey findings into a cohesive evaluation framework

• Produced reports and recommendations for organizational stakeholders

Impact

Findings informed program modifications, participant experience design, and implementation strategies, supporting ongoing program improvement.

Applied Research & Evaluation Consulting (ARC)

Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation for Nonprofit Organizations

Overview

Design and lead applied research and evaluation projects for nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, with a focus on needs assessment, program design, and iterative program improvement.

Methods

• Generative and evaluative user research

• Surveys and needs assessments

• Interviews and focus groups

• Rapid-cycle evaluation design

• Mixed-methods analysis

My Role

• Design and lead needs assessment and evaluation studies

• Conduct qualitative data collection and analysis

• Develop survey instruments and evaluation frameworks

• Translate findings into actionable recommendations for program development, marketing, and implementation

Impact

These projects have supported organizations in refining program design, strengthening grant proposals, improving participant experiences, and making data-informed decisions about program strategy and growth.

Additional Applied Research

• Arts and Culture Funding Field Scans: Conducted large-scale analyses of philanthropic funding data to identify gaps and opportunities across arts and culture sectors, including work with organizations such as the Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, and NYU’s Brademas Center, informing strategy for foundations and cultural institutions

• Religion and Public Health Partnerships (Opioid Epidemic): Led focus groups with clergy and public health leaders to examine cross-sector collaboration, with findings used to inform resources and strategies to strengthen partnerships addressing the opioid crisis

Publicly Available Research Reports

Data-Informed Resources and Research Summaries For Practitioners