I’m Dr. Hannah, and I help you align your programme and evidence using culturally responsive evaluation
- I hold a PhD in evaluating an inclusive education programme from 2019.
- I have over 15 years experience working with more than 20 organisations conducting programme evaluation and research.
- I have taught psychology at university since 2009 and now teach psychology at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
I specialise in selecting the most appropriate methods and data for your individual need. I have a wealth of experience in both advanced quantitative methods and analysis and rigorous qualitative methods and analysis, which means I’m great at culturally responsive evaluation.
You might have noticed I love colour! But you will receive professional reports, presentations, and infographics that are ready to be shared. I will work closely with you to understand your business and tailor the work to suit your needs.
I am a British Citizen, freelancing remotely from Hong Kong, with work visa. I will ensure that there will always be some crossover between my working hours and your time zone.
Independent Ethical Evaluation Matters for Your Organisation
Let me set the scene: 2013 in a layby
I pulled over, barely able to breathe. I had just left an interview with an ex-young offender – one of the hardest conversations I’ve ever had. He was raw, honest, and vulnerable, sharing how a rehabilitation programme had changed his life. The programme culminated in a trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where the young men were confronted with unimaginable history.
The energy was electric. These young people were engaged, building confidence, and figuring out how to move forward in life. But the further I got into the evaluation, the more uneasy I felt. The CEO had caught wind of the project and saw an opportunity for great PR. I started to wonder: Were these young men sharing their authentic experiences, or were they telling me what they had been coached to say?
The illusion of conducting an independent evaluation was shattered. I realised that what I was gathering was a performance, staged to tick the boxes the funders wanted to see. I had no choice but to step away. In that layby, the frustration hit me like a tidal wave. How do we capture real impact when the system is so focused on what looks good, rather than what’s real?
The Same Story, Over and Over Again
This wasn’t the first time I’d felt this disconnect. Time and time again, I heard the same thing from programme leaders:
Pre/post surveys didn’t capture the depth of the work, and generic metrics left too much untold. These organisations were creating life-changing impact, yet they were constantly battling to justify their funding with tools that barely scratched the surface.
And then there was the mum who called.
Her son had been part of a programmes, and she was desperate for someone to understand just how much it had changed him. She told me how he was more open, more confident, and how for the first time, he could see a future beyond his circumstances. But none of that was reflected in the programme’s evaluation. “If they don’t see this, they’ll think it didn’t work.”
That moment haunted me. I knew I couldn’t keep walking away from these stories. I had to find a way to give these programmes the evidence they deserved.
So, I went back to where I could make the biggest difference – the data. I pursued a PhD in Inclusive Education, figuring out how we can measure complex, hard-to-define outcomes. I explored creative, culturally responsive methods that honour the lived experiences of participants while generating rigorous evidence that speaks funders’ language.
I experimented, refined, and tested approaches that went beyond tick boxes – embedding storytelling, participatory approaches, and culturally nuanced metrics that brought impact to life. I learned that evaluation doesn’t have to be extractive or burdensome. It can empower communities, refine programmes, and build a case for sustainable funding.
That’s why I created Expert Evaluation
But I also saw that many organisations lacked the tools, time, or expertise to make this shift. They were stuck – wanting better evaluation but not knowing where to start. Or worse, they feared it would overwhelm their already stretched teams. I knew I had to change that. So here I am today. I’m the founder of Expert Evaluation, a company built to help organisations measure social change – ethically and effectively. I transform messy data and untold stories into powerful evidence that wins funding and drives impact. I’ve spent >15 years refining culturally responsive, non-extractive methods because I refuse to offer cookie-cutter evaluations that miss what really matters.
Now, I help social change leaders like you take control of evidencing impact, so you have rigorous, independent data to advocate for the people you serve.
You will receive bespoke research and evaluation tailored to your needs. No matter the scope of the project, it’ll always be me meeting you in person, chatting to you online and replying to your emails.
hannah@expertevaluation.org