Mathematica Policy Research has appointed three company leaders—Scott Cody, Jill Constantine, and Sheena McConnell—as senior vice presidents, acknowledging their accomplishments and recognition in their respective fields of expertise, the value they are bringing to our clients and partners, and the active role they are playing to help shape the future direction and structure of Mathematica.
“Throughout their careers, Scott, Jill, and Sheena have demonstrated the kind of leadership, innovation, reliance on evidence, and subject matter expertise that have helped Mathematica evolve and adapt to a changing policy environment,” said Paul Decker, president and CEO of Mathematica. “They are each valued leaders in the company, thought leaders in their fields of expertise, and counselors to our clients and partners. I look forward to working closely with them to determine how best to deliver on Mathematica’s mission of improving public well-being around the world.”
Scott Cody, M.P.P., Senior Vice President, Managing Director
Scott Cody is a leading expert in using advanced data analytics to improve decision making in the public sector. For more than 20 years, Cody has studied the effects of program changes on enrollment and service use within education, nutrition, and income support programs. A recognized leader in translating complex research findings into accessible, actionable information, he regularly works with policymakers and administrators at all levels of government to help them use data to inform their decisions. As senior vice president, Cody will serve as managing director of program improvement within Mathematica’s Health Unit. In this role, he will leverage the company’s expertise in technology and analytics to help improve policies and programs across a range of health care issues and challenges.
“Since joining Mathematica in 1996, Scott has repeatedly proven himself as a top-tier researcher, an innovative thinker and leader, and a driver of new technologies and approaches to our work,” said Decker. “The combination of his experience and entrepreneurial approach will be an essential asset as we continue to expand our work in advanced analytics and program improvement.”
Jill Constantine, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Managing Director
Since joining Mathematica in 2001, Jill Constantine has earned national recognition as an expert on some of today’s most compelling and dynamic education policy issues. Her work and leadership span studies on teacher compensation and quality, access to college for low-income students, and strengthening the evidence base for research to help guide policy and inform decision makers. An accomplished and creative manager, she has led some of Mathematica’s largest and most complex projects for the Department of Education including most notably the What Works Clearinghouse, whose standards function as a benchmark for evidence-based research. As senior vice president, Constantine will serve as managing director in Mathematica’s Human Services Unit. In addition to her ability to navigate and respond to research demands in a changing education policy world, Constantine’s distinguished credentials include serving as an assistant professor at Williams College and a reviewer and published author for a number of peer-reviewed journals.
“Jill brings to this new position a suite of important and diverse strengths and skills. She is a talented and creative researcher, is adept at managing complex projects, mentors staff and guides their professional development, and is committed to excellence in client satisfaction,” said Decker. “Her experience positions Mathematica well as we continue to expand and diversify to meet the challenges in the education policy space by providing objective evidence that rises above the partisan fray. We look forward to tapping Jill’s many talents to ensure we meet our clients’ needs and propel education research forward.”
Sheena McConnell, Ph.D, Senior Vice President, Managing Director
Over her 25-year career at Mathematica, McConnell’s research has used rigorous, complex methods to assess the effectiveness of programs and policies for some of our most vulnerable populations. In turn, this impressive expertise and leadership have informed policies that help our clients grapple with fundamental social challenges such as improving employment and strengthening families in disadvantaged populations, helping at-risk youth, and promoting healthy relationships and responsible fatherhood. McConnell’s work leading some of Mathematica’s signature studies, like the national experimental evaluation of the Workforce Investment Act Adult and Dislocated Worker programs and the study of the effectiveness of math teachers who entered teaching through Teach For America or the Teaching Fellows programs, has contributed solid, actionable evidence to inform policy debates on employment and education topics that impact many lives. In her role as senior vice president, McConnell will serve as managing director in Mathematica’s Human Services Unit. A former lecturer at the London School of Economics and Political Science, she has published in the American Economic Review, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, and Evaluation Review. Her scholarship was recognized in the broader research community when she and her Mathematica co-authors won the Raymond Vernon Memorial Prize for the best article published in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.
“A consistent thread runs through Sheena’s long and impressive career at Mathematica—using rigorous methods and the best evidence to inform policies and practices that help our clients craft and shape programs that can positively impact the most vulnerable among us,” said Decker. “Sheena’s work addresses some of our nation’s most critical policy and social issues, and, like the increased call for evidence-based policy and decision making, will only continue to grow in importance and value.”