With 118+ Evaluators and growing in the Network, we are highlighting an ACE Evaluation Network Member each month to share their experiences and current projects with the ETB® community.

Advancing Culturally-responsive and Equitable (ACE) Evaluation Network Member Anane Olatunji, PhD with over 30 years of experience as an educator and researcher, is the founder and president of Align Education, LLC. His firm has evaluated programs for agencies nationwide and he has earned distinction in numerous leadership roles over the course of his career, including as an outstanding teacher of students from kindergarten to college. Driven by a passion for student well-being and school engagement, he has served as an external evaluator for federal grant programs, including after-school programs, charter schools, and Title III at the university level. His research, featured in the Harvard Educational Review, has been presented at conferences both nationally and abroad. Dr. Olatunji is an alumnus of Tulane, Columbia, and Harvard University.

What first attracted you to the ACE Evaluation Network?

The concept of “Expanding the Bench” appealed to me as a way to become more impactful in evaluation by connecting with those who ostensibly see value in the diverse perspectives among evaluators, as in any profession. I also saw that Annie E Casey Foundation was screening us, asking for us to demonstrate quality in the work we do, which I think was reasonable.

What do you value most about the ACE Evaluation Network?

Most of all, I have enjoyed networking, getting to know others in the ACE Evaluation Network. You never know where relationships will take you. I have had many opportunities to interact with colleagues who do work similar to mine. I’ve also enjoyed contributing to their work through my own ideas and expertise. Of course, I have learned a great deal from my colleagues as well.

What’s a current project you are working on?

I’m excited to be currently working on a project, Youth Communication (YC). YC is a nonprofit organization in New York City that gives voice to youth by teaching their schools a curriculum in social emotional learning (SEL) in addition to a writing program that publishes personal stories of youth participants. Helping youth to develop voice fosters agency and self-advocacy. My role this year is to evaluate the project using a quasi-experimental design. YC and I have a great partnership and look forward to completing the project later in the fall.

Lastly, this year I will publish a book that I have been writing since the pandemic entitled: Don’t Let School Get in the Way of Education! Similar to YC’s mission, the book is a guide for youth development professionals and for educators on how to promote the success of youth by cultivating empowerment. My ideas, however, go far beyond developing academic skills. The book literally offers a new paradigm for education and then shows how to bring it into practical reality. For more info, visit: DrOinspires.com.

To learn more about Anane, view his Evaluator Database profile.