Monica specializes in applied and community-based research dedicated to improving the well-being of children and families and the systems that support them. She is an advocate of data-driven decision-making and empowering organizations to use data to expand their reach and impact. She re-joined Wilder in 2005, after first working there from 1997 to 1998.
Monica’s research focuses on children and families in the child welfare system, substance use treatment and recovery, and parenting and early childhood. Her research and evaluation work spans more than two decades, in close partnership with state agencies, counties, foundations, and nonprofits serving Minnesota families. She has led numerous evaluation projects focused on foster care and adoption, and she currently supports Wilder’s new role as the network home for Family Resource Centers (FRCs) across the state. In this role, Monica leads the statewide evaluation of FRCs in Minnesota, aimed at understanding the collective impact of this work.
Monica has a doctoral degree in human development and family studies from the University of Connecticut, a master’s degree in psychology from Wake Forest University, and a bachelor’s degree in English and psychology from St. Olaf College.
Outside of work, you can find Monica volunteering at her children’s schools, gardening, running (occasionally), reading or watching a good thriller, and traveling with her family whenever possible.
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