What types of new partnerships should we build to promote the use of evaluation among public policymakers?

[Rakesh Mohan]

Greetings! This is a cross-post that I first first posted yesterday on the American Evaluation Association's LinkedIn Discussion Group.

I am looking forward to chairing a panel session on this subject at the annual conference of the American Evaluation Association in Denver this coming October. I hope ths post will generate many comments that I would be able to use to facilitate a highly interactive session at the AEA conference.

The conference theme asks us to “envision evaluation as fundamental to a sustainable, equitable future” and to “unleash the power of evaluation…to impact the world in positive ways.” To unleash that power, we will need to build new partnerships with those who have access to policymakers and understand the nuances of the public policy process. These partnerships will help us better understand policymakers’ information needs and allow us to educate them about the value of evaluation in making informed policy and program decisions that would help create a sustainable and equitable future.

I have invited experts from two organizations that have worked with policymakers for decades: the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Pew Charitable Trust. The audience will also hear from a senior legislator from my state. He is using the work of these and other organizations to improve criminal justice policies in Idaho. The panel members are:

1. Bill Pound, Executive Director, National Conference of State Legislatures
2. Michael Caudell-Feagan, Vice President, Government Performance, The Pew Charitable Trusts
3. Rich Wills, Chair of the House Judiciary, Rules, and Administration Committee, Idaho State Legislature

For details about the conference and its theme, please visit: http://www.eval.org/Evaluation2014

Thank you.

[Rakesh Mohan]

Thank you for the Like, Birgit.

Session Update: I am thrilled to share the good news that this will be a presidential strand session at the up coming AEA conference in Denver.  It is scheduled for Friday, October 17, 2014 from 1:45 PM to 3:15 PM in room Capitol 4.

Session title: Building New Partnerships to Promote the Use of Evaluation among Public Policymakers

I hope to see many of you in the audience.