Leadership | WhitworthKee Consulting

Isabel (Izzy) Leamon (she/her) is a mixed-methods researcher whose work focuses on program evaluation and public policy research. Her work spans the evaluation life cycle, from data collection to presenting findings across a variety of sectors including healthcare, education, and criminal justice.

Leamon holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Anthropology from UCLA and a master’s degree in social-organizational psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.

In her role as a Research Associate, Leamon conducts assessments of organizational climate and impact at private, governmental, and not-for-profit institutions.

Dr. Li Ma (she/her) is an Ivy League-trained social scientist with over a decade of experience leading and managing complex research projects, especially projects using mixed methods of data collection and analysis.

Having worked in higher education institutions, the nonprofit sector, and the consulting industry, Dr. Ma applies her research design and analysis expertise to a wide range of institutional and policy topics, including education policy and nonprofit development.

Dr. Li Ma holds a doctorate in Sociology from Cornell University and a master’s degree in Sociology of Education from the University of Oxford. As a Senior Research Associate, Dr. Ma provides leadership to research and evaluation projects for government agencies, philanthropic funders, and other stakeholders.

Dr. David Ayeni (he/him) has more than seven years of experience in social science research with a passion for translating research into impactful policy and practice. As a mixed-method researcher, he has significant experience in research, evaluation, design, data mining and projects with a background in criminal justice reform and policing.

He has successfully supported private agencies and non-profits in research, data reporting and analysis. Dr. Ayeni holds a doctorate in Criminal Justice and Criminology from Georgia State University. He earned his Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Covenant University, Nigeria.

As a Research Associate, Dr. Ayeni specializes in research methodology, data analysis and reporting.

Susan Ullrich (she/hers) is a seasoned qualitative researcher and evaluator with years of experience specializing in public health and human services research. Throughout her career she has led numerous high-impact studies, with work spanning an array of areas including public health, health services provision, workforce development, managing cross-functional teams, and delivering actionable insights through focus groups, interviews, and program evaluations.

Susan holds a Master of Public Health in Behavioral and Community Health from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, complemented by dual bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and International Studies from the University of Iowa, enabling her to bring both breadth of knowledge and sharp technical expertise to her research projects.

As a Senior Research Associate, she brings expertise in managing complex federal research projects, with particular focus on social determinants of health and program evaluation for agencies including the National Science Foundation, Social Security Administration, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Department of Labor.

Dr. Rachel H. Messer (she/her) uses a multidisciplinary lens to engage in data analysis and interpretation, with measurable impact at the core of research, evaluation, and strategic planning activities. With more than a decade of experience leading quantitative and mixed-methods research, her recent experiences have included leading research and evaluation projects across the education, government, and economic development sectors. Dr. Messer has written, implemented, coordinated, and collected data for NIA and NSF-sponsored programs for older adults and college students.

Dr. Messer holds a doctorate in Lifespan Developmental Psychology from Oklahoma State University, a Master of Science degree in Psychology from Oklahoma State University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and French from Morehead (Kentucky) State University. Dr. Messer has published more than 25 original research papers, encyclopedia entries, and reviews, including venues such as Oxford Bibliographies Online, the International Journal of Humor Research, and Current Psychology.

As a Senior Research Associate at WhitworthKee Consulting, Dr. Messer navigates open-ended problems and works with team members to devise creative plans of action from project planning stages through reporting. She engages in project and budget management to help lead successful research and evaluation projects while mentoring other team members and building authentic client relationships.

Nicol Valdez, Ph.D. (she/her) is a social scientist with expertise in policy research, program evaluation, and legislative analysis. Her doctoral research examined the experiences of children in mixed-status immigrant families, exploring how legal status shapes their opportunities and social integration.

Dr. Valdez previously served as a Social Science Research Fellow at the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this role, she collaborated with leading statisticians and researchers to manage the Annual Survey of Refugees, the government’s primary data collection effort tracking the economic and social integration of newly admitted refugees. She also oversaw program evaluations related to workforce development and social policy, strengthening her expertise in large-scale research initiatives and federal grant management.

Dr. Valdez earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University, where she also completed an M.A. and M.Phil. She holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with dual majors in Sociology and International Relations.

As a Research Associate, Dr. Valdez is currently working on a project that requires knowledge of her mixed-methods training, and asks: what are the effects of this program, and what can we learn from it? The culmination of the findings will help inform Congress on the continuation of the funding for the program.

Dr. Ayodeji D. Oyedeji is a mixed-methods researcher whose work focuses on bridging the gap in outcomes across different settings and populations. He has extensive experience in research design, developing data collection tools, presenting findings to broad audiences, and supporting academic, non-profit and federal organizations.

Dr. Ayodeji D. Oyedeji holds a doctorate in Health and Related Research from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. He earned his Master of Science in Health Psychology from Coventry University, United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Ghana.

As a Research Associate, Dr. Ayodeji specializes in secondary research, qualitative research methodology, data analysis and reporting.

Tatiana Patterson (she/her) has over 15 years of management experience in Higher Education, where she led and supervised large teams and projects before joining Whitworthkee Consulting. She values work-life balance and enjoys traveling, reading, and cooking when she is not working.

Tatiana holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Michigan State University, as well as certifications in women’s health and human performance.

As Project Manager, Tatiana oversees the contract lifecycle to ensure that nonprofit, academic, and federal client deliverables are completed on time and within budget. She also contributes to the company’s operational and training efforts.

Dr. Allen Thomas has over a decade of experience in research spanning a range of media, user experience (UX), and educational research. He has used his research background to develop program evaluations, inform his teaching practice, and create insights on products from a user-centric perspective. He has previously worked in clinical, education, consumer tech, and nonprofit spaces.

Dr. Thomas holds a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas, with their dissertation focusing on life-satisfaction. They also hold a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies.

As a Research Associate, Dr. Thomas brings with him an expertise in research on populations, including design, recruitment, data analysis, and reporting, as well as training across quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.

Dr. Brittany Brewster has more than a decade of experience in research, evaluation, and program design. Her work includes developing organizational climate assessments, conducting program evaluations, and facilitating learning and development experiences. She has supported nonprofit, academic, corporate, and federal clients.

Dr. Brewster holds a doctorate in Higher Education with a minor in Sociology from Florida State University. She earned her Master of Education Degree in Higher Education from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Florida International University.

As a Research Associate at WhitworthKee Consulting, Dr. Brewster oversees a variety of projects, provides strategic expertise, and implements in-depth data collection and analysis to drive organizational impact.

Dr. Molly Matthews-Ewald is a versatile, adaptive, and collaborative mixed-methods public health researcher. She has more than 15 years of experience using tailored and novel approaches to design, implement, and conduct research and evaluation activities across a variety of fields. A hallmark of her approach is collaboration and ensuring differing perspectives and voices are considered and uplifted. She has worked with an array of clients including the Federal, state, local, nonprofit, family foundation, and philanthropic spaces.

Dr. Matthews-Ewald holds a doctorate in Public Health Sciences with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Health from West Virginia University. She earned her Master of Science in Exercise and Health Studies with a concentration in Health Promotion from Miami University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Christopher Newport University. She has published nearly 25 peer-reviewed papers, including in high-impact journals, and numerous technical and public reports, and enjoys translating technical work to multiple audiences with different lenses.

As the Director of Research, Dr. Matthews-Ewald provides overall direction and support across the company’s portfolio of research and evaluation work. She develops and guides tailored research and evaluation approaches to uniquely respond to the needs of the client. She works collaboratively to develop novel solutions to clients’ questions and translates findings into actionable recommendations.

Dr. Beatty’s research interests include leadership learning, addressing issues of equity in higher education, socially just leadership learning. Dr. Beatty has experience conducting qualitative research and document analysis. He holds a B.A. in sociology and African and African American diaspora studies and an M.S. in higher education student affairs, both from Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Iowa State University School of Education.

Dr. Chad Kee (he/his) is an entrepreneur, researcher, educator, and first-generation college student, who takes diversity, equity, and inclusion to heart. This focus is embedded in his unique, culturally responsive evaluation and assessment protocols. He applies these variables to the organizational culture of WhitworthKee Consulting and all company projects. Dr. Kee founded WhitworthKee Consulting to empower educational, health, faith, and government organizations to make evidence-based decisions.

Dr. Kee holds a master’s degree in Sociology with a focus on urban education from the University of North Carolina Charlotte and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with a focus on higher education and student affairs and a concentration in social justice from Iowa State University.

As CEO, Dr. Kee works directly with WhitworthKee Consulting’s strategic and technical partners, leveraging his deep expertise in research, program evaluation, research & development, and technical assessment. Dr. Kee supports the organizational objectives of WhitworthKee Consulting’s partner organizations as they implement services, interventions, and programs that enhance outcomes for their constituents.

Dr. Kevin Hylton (he/his) is a researcher and program evaluator with experience managing highly visible multi-million-dollar contracts with diverse government agencies. Dr. Hylton’s approach centers around improving educational inequities and health disparities among underserved and marginalized populations. He has published works related to substance use, intimate partner violence, HIV/AIDS, minority participation in clinical trials, and poverty and health status.

Dr. Hylton holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Buffalo State University and a doctorate in Sociology, with a concentration in Medical Sociology, Race and Ethnic Relations, and Demography/Urban Sociology from Howard University.

As the Vice President of Research and Evaluation, Dr. Hylton focuses on establishing and directing WKC’s research and evaluation priorities.

Offering Advanced Skills and Expertise

Meet The Team

Our Leaders

Chad E. Kee, Ph.D.

Kevin Hylton, Ph.D.

Molly Matthews-Ewald, Ph.D., MS

Rachel Messer, Ph.D.

Brittany Brewster, Ph.D.

Tatiana Patterson

Isabel Leamon, MA

Cameron Beatty, Ph.D.

Allen Thomas, Ph.D.

David Ayeni, Ph.D.

Ayodeji D. Oyedeji, Ph.D.

Li Ma, Ph.D.

Nicol Valdez, Ph.D.

Susan Ullrich

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