Authors: Jones, Alissa

“Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.” – Frida Kahlo

Alissa leads administrative, communications, data analysis, data collection, and library services teams at Wilder Research. She joined Wilder in 2022.

Alissa specializes in strategic planning and supports partners in developing long-term and short-term strategies that focus on organizational effectiveness, advancing tactical initiatives, and assessing results to support organizational vitality, culture, and the achievement of mission-oriented goals. She approaches her work through a cultural humility lens and incorporates reflexivity, culturally responsive, and equity-focused evaluation practices.

Alissa holds a doctoral degree in organizational leadership, policy, and development with a concentration in evaluation studies from the University of Minnesota; a master’s in anthropological studies of Mexico from the Universidad de las Américas Puebla, in Cholula, Mexico; and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota with a double major in Spanish/Portuguese and Chicano Studies. She previously served as president of the Minnesota Evaluation Association and chair of the American Evaluation Association’s leadership and organizational performance topical interest group.

Outside of work, Alissa is an avid fiction novel reader, typically reading over 60 books a year. She also enjoys visiting museums, attending the theater, and exploring new restaurants where she orders the most unique item on the menu and savors the culinary adventure.