Erin Oldham LaChance, Ph.D.  eMail
Owner

Erin Oldham LaChance, Ph.D. is the owner of Oldham Innovative Research, a Maine-based research and evaluation company. Dr. Oldham LaChance’s research across New England and beyond focuses on school readiness, early education, quality rating and improvement systems, early intervention and early childhood mental health. Dr. Oldham LaChance has worked with both the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley on supporting reliable and valid child assessment in early education settings. Dr. Oldham LaChance has consulted with New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts on their early education quality rating and improvement systems. Dr. Oldham LaChance is currently leading evaluations of Sanford and Lewiston (Maine) Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiatives as well as three Department of Education Early Reading First grants (in Maine, Connecticut and Massachusetts). Dr. Oldham LaChance has worked with the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and New Hampshire Alliance on Infant Mental Health on early childhood mental health services and is working with the Maine Department of Education on the integration of mental health into schools.  She has also worked with the MA Department of Early Education and Care on their universal pre-kindergarten initiatives, with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on health consultation with early education settings and with the Maine Department of Education on IDEA data requirements. Dr. Oldham LaChance is also currently conducting research on the child care choices of immigrants and refugees in Colorado and Maine for the Administration for Children and Families.

Resume:
Erin Oldham LaChance, Ph.D. Resume

Susy Hawes eMail
Research Assistant

As a 2008 graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine with an interdisciplinary degree in Public Health and Culture, Susy’s work focuses on cultural awareness and sensitivity in a variety of fields.  This concentration, as well as her Spanish language skills, aptly prepares her to work with Oldham’s diverse clientele.   While she will be providing assistance and support to a variety of projects, her work will focus on supporting Oldham staff with Connecticut’s Early Reading First grant and Lewiston, Maine’s Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative. Susy has experience interacting and playing with children of all ages as a mentor, childcare provider, and new aunt!

Donna Link  eMail
Business Manager and Project Manager

Donnas’ areas of proficiency are focused on business management and project management. Her experience with office management, child care, preschool and elementary education, bring practical skills to the research and evaluation conducted at Oldham Innovative Research. Donna earned a BS in Elementary Education at Ashland University located in Ashland, Ohio. She resides in Freeport, Maine and is the mother of three grown children and has six grandchildren.

Dawn Miller eMail
Research Assistant

The work of Dawn Miller focuses on youth and early childhood education evaluation.  She provides assistance to the evaluation managers through managing and creating databases, conducting focus groups, and training new employees in child assessment and classroom observation tools.  The Early Reading First grants in Maine and Connecticut, the Safe Schools/Health Students initiative and the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems grant have been her recent foci.  Her experience in the mental health, legal and substance abuse fields brings a versatile and rich body of knowledge to the projects on which she works.  Dawn received her B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in Developmental from Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont.

Nan Simpson  eMail
Research Associate

The work of Nan Simpson focuses on early childhood education research and policy. The development of statewide Quality Rating Systems for early care and education and the evaluation of effective professional development for Early Childhood professionals have been two recent foci. Her experience with Head Start, Child Care, Child Care Resource and Referral and Elementary Education bring practical skills to the research and evaluation conducted by Ms. Simpson. Nan received her B.S. degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Orono.

Charlene Tucker, Ed.D. eMail
Research Associate

Dr. Tucker has extensive experience in education with a focus on assessment and evaluation.  She was a classroom teacher for several years before earning a doctorate in Research & Evaluation Methods at the University of Massachusetts.  Her service to public education continued at the Connecticut State Department of Education where she held several roles related to evaluation and assessment, including serving as the State Assessment Director.  Her career also includes work in the business sector as a Measurement Consultant for Harcourt Assessment where she was responsible for relationships and contracts with state education agencies.  Dr. Tucker’s areas of expertise include:  local, state, and national public education policy; educational measurement and evaluation; quantitative and qualitative research methods; and innovative reporting methodology.  She is currently managing the evaluation of Safe Schools/Healthy Students and providing consultation and support to several other projects.