Sarah Alahmadi

Psychometrician, ACS Ventures, LLC

Graduated: 2024
Dissertation: Investigating the direction of item parameter bias in the presence of rapid guessing

Robin D. Anderson

Department Head, Graduate Psychology Professor of Graduate Psychology
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
ander2rd@jmu.edu

Graduated: 2001
Dissertation: Stereotype Threat: The Effects of Gender Identification on Standardized TestPerformance

Carol L. Barry

Senior Psychometrician
American Board of Surgery
cbarry@absurgery.org

Graduated: 2010
Dissertation: Examining Change in Motivation Across the Course of a Low-Stakes Testing Session: An Application of Latent Growth Modeling

Susan K. Barnes

Assessment Specialist/Independent Consultant
Graham,NC
barnessk@jmu.edu

Graduated: 2010
Dissertation: Using Computer-Based Testing with Young Children

Bozhidar M. Bashkov

Manager of Research
IXL Learning
San Francisco, CA
Email: bbashkov@ixl.com

Graduated: 2015
Dissertation: Examining the Performance of the Metropolis-Hastings Robbins-Monro Algorithm in the Estimation of Multilevel Multidimensional IRT Models

Katie Busby

Director, Institutional Research
The University of Mississippi
Oxford, MS
kbusby@olemiss.edu

Graduated: 2005
Dissertation: Validity Study of the Leadership Attitudes and Beliefs Scale III

Hilary Campbell

Assistant Director, Assessment, Accreditation, & Accountability, Education Programs
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
campb2hl@jmu.edu

Graduated: 2007
Dissertation: Invariance of the Modified Achievement Goal Questionnaire Across College Students with and without Disabilities

Jaime Cid

Psychometrics Manager
Educational Testing Service
Princeton, NJ
jcid@ets.org

Graduated: 2009
Dissertation: Using explanatory item response models to examine the impact of linguistic features of a reading comprehension test on English language learners

Christopher M. Coleman

Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
cmcoleman6@bama.ua.edu

Graduated: 2013
Dissertation: Effects of Negative Keying and Wording in Attitude Measures: A Mixed-Methods Study

Nicholas A. Curtis

Director of Assessment 
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Milwaukee, WI

Graduated: 2018
Dissertation: A new paradigm for improvement: Student-faculty partnership in learning outcomes assessment

Amanda Dainis

Research Scientist, CEB/SHL
Chantilly, VA
Measurement Consultant

Graduated: 2008
Dissertation: Methods for Identifying Differential Item and Test Functioning: An Investigation of Type I Error Rates and Power

Susan L. Davis-Becker

Founding Partner
ACS Ventures, LLC
Lincoln, Nebraska
sdavisbecker@acsventures.com

Graduated: 2005
Dissertation: Achievement Goal Orientation Across the College Career: A Latent Growth Analysis

Megan France

Consultant
Assessment Specialist for the College of Arts & Sciences and School of Engineering
Santa Clara University 
meganfrance@icloud.com

Graduated: 2011
Dissertation: Construct Validity Evidence for University Mattering: Evaluating Factor Structure, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of Transfer and Native Students

Kelly J. Foelber Rewley

Measurement Scientist
American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Philadelphia, PA
KFoelber@ABIM.ORG

Graduated: 2017
Dissertation: Using multiple imputation to mitigate the effects of low examinee motivation on estimates of student learning

Keston Fulcher

Improvement Strategist & Professor of Graduate Psychology
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
fulchekh@jmu.edu

Graduated: 2004
Dissertation: Towards Measuring Lifelong Learning: The Curiosity Index

Mandalyn Gilles

Director of Research
InsideTrack
San Diego, CA
mgilles@odu.edu

Graduated: 2015
Dissertation: Extending an IRT Mixture Model to Detect Random Responders on Non-Cognitive Polytomously Scored Assessments

Megan Rodgers Good

Assistant Professor of Graduate Psychology/ Executive Director, CARS
Assistant Professor of Grad Psych.
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
good2mr@jmu.edu

Graduated: 2015
Dissertation: Improving Student Learning in Higher Education: A Mixed Methods Study

Makayla Grays

Institutional Research Specialist
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, CT

Graduated: 2013
Dissertation: Measuring Motivation for Coursework across the Academic Career: A Longitudinal Invariance Study

Nikole Gregg

Research Scientist
HumRRO
Nikole works remotely
ngregg11@gmail.com

Graduated: 2021
Dissertation: Getting caught up in the process: Does it really matter?

Sara Lambert Gutierrez

Chief Science Officer
SHL
Syracuse-Auburn
sara.gutierrez@cebglobal.com

Graduated: 2009
Dissertation: Examining the Psychometric Properties of a Multimedia Innovative Item Format: Comparison of Innovative and Non-Innovative Versions of a Situational Judgment Test

Heather D. Harris

Independent Consultant
Herkimer Consulting
Washington DC - Baltimore heather@harris.works

Graduated: 2018
Dissertation: The influence of covariate measurement error on treatment effect estimates and numeric balance diagnostics following several common methods of propensity score matching: A simulation study

Jerusha Henderek

Senior Psychometrician
National Board of Medical Examiners Philadelphia, PA jerusha.henderek@gmail.com

Graduated: 2015
Dissertation: Addressing Serial-Order and Negative Keying Effects: A Mixed-Methods Study

Kristen (Smith) Herrick

Senior Learning Scientist, ETS

Graduated: 2016
Dissertation: Integrating implementation fidelity and learning improvement to enhance students’ ethical reasoning abilities

Emily R. Hoole

Head of Client Engagement-Europe
Center for Creative Leadership
Oslo, Norway
hoolee@ccl.org

Graduated: 2005
Dissertation: Integrating and Evaluating Mathematical Models of Assessing Structural Knowledge: Comparing Associative Network Methodologies

Madison Holzman

Research Scientist
Curriculum Associates
Billerica, MA
Madison works remotely from Harrisonburg, VA
MHolzman@cainc.com

Graduated: 2018
Dissertation: Evaluating rater effects in the context of ethical reasoning essay assessment: An application of the many-facets rasch measurement model

S. Jeanne Horst

Director of Research
Senior Research Scientist
CommonLit
Washington, DC
Jeanne works from home in Harrisonburg, VAjeanne.horst@commonlit.org

Graduated: 2010
Dissertation: A Mixture-Modeling Approach to Exploring Test-Taking Motivation in Large-Scale Low-Stakes Contexts

Jessica N. Jacovidis

Research Associate
Inflexion
Eugene, OR
Jessica works remotely from Harrisonburg, VA
jnjacovidis@gmail.com

Graduated: 2017
Dissertation: Evaluating the performance of propensity score matching methods: A simulation study

Jilliam N. Joe

Senior Director of Research
LEAP Innovations
Chicago, IL
jilliamjoe@gmail.com

Graduated: 2008
Dissertation: Using Verbal Reports to Explore Rater Perceptual Processes in scoring: An Application to Oral Communication Assessment

Mary M. Johnston

Psychometrician
American Board of Emergency MedicineEast Lansing, MI
mary.m.johnston@gmail.com

Graduated: 2016
Dissertation: Applying solution behavior thresholds to a noncognitive measure to identify rapid responders: An empirical investigation

Andrew T. Jones

Director of Psychometrics
American Board of Surgery
Philadelphia, PA
ajones@absurgery.org

Graduated: 2009
Dissertation: Using the Right Tool for the Job: An Analysis of Item Selection Statistics for Criterion-Referenced Tests

Cassandra Jones

Director of Assessment
Montgomery College
Rockville, MD
Cassandra.Jones@montgomerycollege.edu

Graduated: 2009
Dissertation: Nonresponse bias in online course evaluations

Daniel P. Jurich

Associate Vice President, USMLE
Manager
National Board of Medical Examiners
Philadelphia, PA
jurichdp@gmail.com

Graduated: 2014
Dissertation: Assessing Model Fit of Multidimensional Item Response Theory and Diagnostic Classification Models using Limited-Information Statistics

Pamela K. Kaliski

Senior Measurement Scientist
American Board of Internal Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
pkaliski@abim.org

Graduated: 2009
Dissertation: An Empirical Demonstration of Direct and Indirect Mixture Modeling When Studying Personality Traits: A Methodological-Substantive Synergy

James R. Koepfler

Senior Analytical Consultant
SAS
Cary, NC
james.koepfler@sas.com

Graduated: 2012
Dissertation: Examining the Bifactor IRT Model for Vertical Scaling in K-12 Assessment

Xiaojing "Jadie" Kong

Senior Research Scientist 
Pearson Educational Measurement
Sunnyvale, CA
jadie.kong@pearson.com

Graduated: 2007
Dissertation: Using Response Time and the Effort-Moderated Model to Investigate the Effects of Rapid Guessing on Estimation of Item and Person Parameters

Jason P. Kopp

Research Scientist
META
Seattle, WA
koppjp@gmail.com

Graduated: 2014
Dissertation: The Treatment of Missing Data when Estimating Student Growth with Pre-Post Educational Accountability Data

Abigail Lau Cahill

Professional Lecturer in Educational Leadership
George Washington University
Washington, DC
Adjunct Graduate Faculty
James Madison University
Cahilla@gwu.edu

Graduated: 2009
Dissertation: Using a mixture IRT model to improve parameter estimates when some examinees are amotivated

Rory A. Lazowski

Associate Research Scientist 
The College Board
Newtown, PA
rlazowski@collegeboard.org

Graduated: 2001
Dissertation: A meta-analytic tutorial and a narrative review on motivation interventions in education

Susan M. Lottridge

Senior Director, Automated Scoring
Cambium Assessment
Sue works remotely from Harrisonburg, VA Susan.lottridge@cambiumassessment.com

Graduated: 2006
Dissertation: Comparing the Relative Measurement Efficiency of Dichotomous and Polytomous Models in Linear and Adaptive Testing Conditions

Ross E. Markle

Founder, Managing Director
DIA Higher Education Collaborators
Nashville, TN
ross@diahighered.com

Graduated: 2010
Dissertation: Examining the Bricks and Mortar of Socioeconomic Status: An Empirical Comparison of Measurement Methods

Kimberly “Becca” Marsh-Runyon

Director of New Product Development
Educational Testing Service
Philadelphia, PA
krm.marsh@gmail.com

Graduated: 2013
Dissertation: The Effects of Item and Respondent Characteristics on Midpoint Response Option Endorsement: A Mixed-Methods Study

BJ Miller

Director of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment
National Defense University
Washington, DC
bj.miller.civ@ndu.edu

Graduated: 2007
Dissertation: Unfolding Analyses of the Academic Motivation Scale: A Different Approach to Evaluating Scale Validity and Self-Determination Theory

Psychometrician
National Board of Medical Examiners
Philadelphia, PA
tong@nbme.org

Graduated: 2019
Dissertation:  Are all cognitive items equally prone to position effects? Exploring the relationships among item features and position effects

Christopher Orem

Director of Institutional Research
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
oremcd@jmu.edu

Graduated: 2012
Dissertation: Demonstrating Validity Evidence of Meta-Assessment Scores Using Generalizability Theory

Christopher R. Patterson

Postdoctoral Fellow for the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health at the University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

Graduated: 2023
Dissertation: Observing how College Students Process Culturally Responsive Test Items

Beth Perkins

Research Fellow
AAC&U Washington, D.C.
Beth works from home in Harrisonburg, VA bperkins@aacu.org

Graduated: 2021
Dissertation: Does Coding Method Matter? An Examination of Propensity Score Methods When the Treatment Group is Larger Than the Comparison Group

Sue Pieper

Coordinator of Assessment, E-Learning Center
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ
Sue.Pieper@nau.edu

Graduated: 2003
Dissertation: Refining and Extending the 2 x 2 Achievement Goal Framework: Another Look at Work-Avoidance

Andrea Pope

Director of Action
DIA Higher Education Collaborators

Graduated: 2020
Dissertation: Evidence-Informed Programming in Student Affairs: A Mixed Methods Study Examining Behaviors, Perceptions, and Barriers Related to the Use of Theory and Research in Program Development

Caroline Prendergast

Psychometrician
American Board of Surgery
Caroline works remotely from Harrisonburg, VA

Graduated: 2022
Dissertation: Learning Improvement at Scale: Improving Rhetorical Awareness in a First-Year Writing Program

Shelley Ragland

Director, Competency-Based Assessment at Brandman University - Chapman University System
Irvine, California
shelley.ragland@wgu.edu

Graduated: 2010
Dissertation: An Evaluation of a New Method of IRT Scaling

Barbara E. Rowan

Owner/Consultant
All Things Research, LLC
Macon, GA
barbara@allthingsresearchllc.com

Graduated: 2010
Dissertation: Comparability of Paper-and-Pencil and Computer-Based Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Measures in a Low-Stakes Testing Environment

Javarro Russell

Senior Director AAMC
MCAT
Washington,  DC
j.a.russell06@gmail.com

Graduated: 2011
Dissertation: Development and Validation of the Preservice Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Items (PMKT): A Mixed-Methods Approach

Courtney B. Sanders

Institutional Research & Planning Analyst
University of California, Office of the President
San Francisco, CA
cbeasand@gmail.com

Graduated: 2017
Dissertation: Student engagement and post-college outcomes: A comparison of formative and reflective models

Paulius Satkus

Associate Psychometrician
Graduate Management Admission Council
Reston, VA

Graduated: 2022
Dissertation: The Use of Complex-structure Items in Multi-stage Testing

Derek Sauder

Psychometrician
American Board of Internal Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
derekcsauder@gmail.com

Graduated: 2020
Dissertation: Can Auxiliary Information Improve Rasch Estimation at Small Sample Sizes?

J. Carl Setzer

Lead Psychometrician
Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA)
Washington, DC
carl.setzer@aicpa-cima.com

Graduated: 2008
Dissertation: Parameter Recovery of the Explanatory Multidimensional Rasch Model

Yelisey Shapovalov

Post Doc with Ethical Reasoning in Action at JMU

Graduated: 2024|
Dissertation: A qualitative lens for exploring ethical reasoning: Developing the 8 Key Question Codebook

Kara Siegert

Special Assistant to the President; Institutional Effectiveness & Assessment
Salisbury University
Salisbury, MD
kmowens@salisbury.edu

Graduated: 2005
Dissertation: Cyberspace Versus Face-to-Face: The Influence of Learning Strategies, Self-Regulation, and Achievement Goal Orientation

Alan B. Socha

Assistant Director for Assessment
University of Maryland
Washington, DC
asocha@umd.edu

Graduated: 2014
Dissertation: An Investigation of the Effects of Complex Items on Augmented Subscores

Elisabeth M. Spratto (Waterbury)

Personnel Research Psychologist
DoD’s Defense Testing Assessment Center (DTAC)
(Remote from)
Monterey, CA
lspratto@humrro.org

Graduated: 2018
Dissertation: In search of equality: Developing an equal interval Likert response scale

Scott N. Strickman

Associate Psychometrician
Pearson
Scott works remotely from Jacksonville, FL
scottstrickman@gmail.com

Graduated: 2017
Dissertation: You only live up to the standards you set: An evaluation of different approaches to standard setting

Matthew S. Swain

Research Scientist: HumRRO
Remote from Glen Allen, VA
MSwain@ABIM.org

Graduated: 2015
Dissertation: The Effects of a Planned Missingness Design on Examinee Motivation and Psychometric Quality

Peter Swerdzewski

Director of Research
Curriculum Associates
Billerica, MA
pswerdzewski@cainc.com

Graduated: 2008
Dissertation: Should We Worry About the Way We Measure Worry Over Time? A Longitudinal Analysis of Student Worry During the First Two Years of College

Melinda Taylor

Senior Research Scientist II
Northwest Educational Association (NWEA)
Melinda works remotely from Austin, TX
taylor.melinda@gmail.com

Graduated: 2009
Dissertation: An Application of Generalizability Theory to Evaluate the Technical Quality of An Alternate Assessment

Amy Thelk

Assistant Dean for Accreditation, Assessment, and Accountability
College of Education, James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
thelkad@jmu.edu

Graduated: 2006
Dissertation: Examinee Awareness of Performance Expectations and its Effects on Motivation and Test Scores

Kathryn N. Thompson

Testing and Psychometrics Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Talented Youth, Johns Hopkins University

Graduated: 2023
Dissertation: A Novel Examination of None-Of-The-Above as it Influences Examinee Item Responses

G. Thomas Waterbury

Research Scientist
HumRRO
Monterey, CA
twaterbury@humrro.org

Graduated: 2020
Dissertation: RISE and Shine: A Comparison of Item Fit Statistics for the Rasch Model

Laura M. Williams

Manager, Program Assessment
Western Governor's University
Salt Lake City, UT
l.williams@wgu.edu

Graduated: 2015
Dissertation: The Effect of Examinee Motivation on Value-Added Estimates

John Willse

Senior Data Science Manager
Udemy
Greenboro, NC
John.willse@udemy.com

Graduated: 2002
Dissertation: Controlling Computer Adaptive Testing's Capitalization on Chance Errors in Item Parameter Estimates

Sean A. York

Instructional Strategy Consultant

Graduated: 2024
Dissertation: Using recurrent neural networks to predict mastery outcomes from learning journey clickstream data

Anna Zilberberg