Background:
Ebony Lambert is an associate partner in Bellwether’s Policy and Evaluation practice area, where her work integrates education, psychology, and health into research, evaluation, and capacity-building. In her time at Bellwether, Ebony has provided support on federal Charter School Program Replication and Expansion grant evaluations; analyzed qualitative data to support State Education Agency capacity-building; supported capacity-building for the promotion of racial equity in education; and researched frameworks that promote a holistic approach to improving students’ school experiences and outcomes (i.e., cross-sector collaboration and competency-based education).
Prior to Bellwether, Ebony focused on a range of projects designed to foster a culture of health advocacy in educational institutions. Ebony was a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University. As a researcher with the Discrimination and Health Lab in the psychology department, Ebony integrated basic social psychology research of intergroup bias with applied health and education disparities research to examine schools as unique health care settings. Ebony also served as a doctoral fellow on the School-Based Health Center Taskforce with the Office of the Secretary of Education in Virginia, conducting legislative research on the national landscape of SBHCs and Virginia-specific student health needs. At its core, Ebony’s research focuses on broadening the education-health link.
Ebony holds a doctorate in health psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor’s degree in both psychology and Africana studies from the College of William & Mary. She is a proud bookworm, aunt, sister, and daughter.
Why I do this work:
As a child, I felt safest in school with my nose in a book but throughout my educational career, I realized that schools are not safe spaces for all students, and that Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students in particular bear the brunt of educational inequity. I am passionate about providing educational institutions with strategies to better serve students of color and about empowering students to divest themselves from deficit perspectives. I do this work for my nieces and nephews, because I believe that an empowering education can transform lives.
Experience at Bellwether:
Program Evaluation/Evaluation Capacity-Building; Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis; Data Collection and Analysis; Writing; Research; CMO/Charter School Operators
Client segments served:
Postsecondary/Higher Education; CMO/Charter Schools; Government; Nonprofit Organizations
