Shawn Marsh

Shawn Marsh specializes in managing large data collection efforts, implementing random assignment in local sites, and achieving high response rates. He has more than 25 years of experience in survey research, including expertise in managing mail, telephone, and in-person surveys; managing data collection efforts over large geographical areas; and developing technical assistance trainings and materials.

Marsh, who joined Mathematica in 1998, has been the survey director for many of Mathematica’s large-scale evaluations, including Building Strong Families, a 10-year initiative that developed and evaluated programs to help strengthen and stabilize the relationships of low-income couples. He also has extensive experience working with rural populations, including serving as the survey director for the Rural Welfare-to-Work Strategies Demonstration Evaluation and as deputy survey director for the National Evaluation of the Welfare-to-Work Grants Program. He currently directs surveys for projects focusing on family support, including a large-scale multisite evaluation testing the effectiveness of programs to increase employment among noncustodial parents, and an evaluation of the YouthBuild community development program, which aims to help high school dropouts obtain their diplomas and reach their career goals.

Marsh presents his work widely at conferences such as the International Conference on Methods for Surveying and Enumerating Hard-to-Reach Populations, the annual meeting of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, and the National Association of Welfare Research and Statistics Conference. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of Pittsburgh.