Nahoko Kawakyu O'Connor

Biography

Nahoko Kawakyu O’Connor (she/her/hers) holds joint appointments in the educational leadership program and the Center for Professional Development & Education Reform, and is an affiliate faculty of the Center for Urban Education Success. She teaches social science research methods and program evaluation courses through the educational leadership program, and designs, implements, and supports program evaluation efforts through the Center for Professional Development & Education Reform.

She has managed evaluation projects for the National Science Foundation, New York State Education Department, local and national foundations, community organizations, school districts, and higher education institutions, and currently works on numerous projects locally and statewide. In her work, Kawakyu O’Connor uses quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods, and engages in developmental, formative, and summative evaluations.  Specializing in utilization focused evaluation and participatory evaluation that is culturally responsive, she is committed to building capacity at the local level for collective impact toward an equitable society. Navigating epistemological differences, she engages with formal and informal educational programs for students in K-20.

Kawakyu O’Connor previously worked in research & evaluation at nonprofit educational service organizations and postsecondary institutions as an internal and external evaluator.