Russell Cole

Russell Cole has expertise in research design, evaluation technical assistance, and systematic reviews. His research focuses on education, teen pregnancy prevention, early childhood and child welfare projects, and systems evaluation.

Since joining Mathematica in 2009, Cole has worked on the design and analysis of several cross-site studies. He is currently serving as principal investigator on a national impact evaluation of the popular teen pregnancy prevention program Making Proud Choices! He is also deputy project director of the cross-site evaluation of the Regional Partnership Grant program, which funds evidence-based services and programs designed to increase the well-being and enhance the safety of children who are in or at risk of out-of-home placements as a result of a parent or caretaker’s substance abuse.

Cole has also been involved in several evaluation technical assistance projects. He has previously served as the principal investigator on an evaluation technical assistance project that provided technical assistance and monitoring to more than 60 local evaluations of federally funded teen pregnancy prevention programs, and is currently providing evaluation technical assistance to grantees serving youth at risk of homelessness.

Cole also has extensive experience in evidence reviews through his work on the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). On that project, he has held multiple roles, including leading all review products (including intervention reports, single study reviews, and quick review blasts) and serving as the statistical and technical analysis team lead.

He holds a Ph.D. in policy research, evaluation, and measurement from the University of Pennsylvania.