Rachel Venema, PhD, is a Partner and Senior Consultant at DataWise, where she leads research and evaluation projects using both qualitative and quantitative methods. She holds a Master’s in Social Work with a focus on policy and evaluation from the University of Michigan and a PhD in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago.Rachel approaches research and evaluation as tools for learning—helping organizations understand what is working, what can be improved, and whose voices need to be heard. Her work is grounded in a commitment to using data to inform meaningful change.Prior to joining DataWise, Rachel served as Director of Surveys and Research at the Frost Research Center at Hope College. She also spent 13 years as a professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Calvin University.Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, raising backyard chickens, and keeping her family’s calendar organized.