Preferred Program Evaluations collaborates with public and private entities on the design and execution of program evaluations for the purpose of informing educational and social policy.

The services provided by Preferred Program Evaluations are designed to match a project’s size and scope, the specific needs of each client, and the requirements of the funding agency.

By providing participatory evaluations that emphasize the importance of stakeholder input, we strive to build the capacity of our partners, improve new or established projects, and enable project leaders to make informed decisions about future programming. We are interested in the success of each project and not just the measurement of its effectiveness. While our approach is thorough and scientific, it remains individualized, purposeful, and economical.

Practical. Applied. impactful. inclusive.

"Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) is proud to have partnered with Preferred Program Evaluations for the past few years for our evaluation services. Working with Blake and the team has been enlightening as they bring a wealth of expertise in the evaluation process for cybersecurity workforce initiatives. We're able to better engage our conference attendees to meet their needs. With Blake's help and feedback, we continue to strive year after year to exceed the expectations of all involved... members, partners, sponsors, and more."

Dr. Janelle Straach

Dr. Janell Straach
WiCyS Chair of the Board
WiCyS Conference Chair

“Dr. Blake Urbach is a consummate professional, knowledgeable, and possesses extensive experience and expertise. She has strong interpersonal skills; a quality that renders her very effective. I have been a P.I., Co P.I., and Senior Advisor on a number of NSF ATE projects and centers, and had an opportunity to work with several different evaluators. Blake is by far the best, the most influential, and the most effective evaluator I have had the privilege of working with.”

Vera Zdravkovich

Vera Zdravkovich, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation
Academic Vice President Emeritus
Prince George's Community College

"Dr. Blake Urbach, the Principal Consultant of Preferred Program Evaluations, is an excellent project evaluator! I've worked with Blake for more than a decade on multiple grant projects from the National Science Foundation. Over the years, I have recommended her impactful evaluation services without hesitation to many of my colleagues. She is always professional, creative, and delightful."

Hawthorne

Elizabeth K. Hawthorne, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation
Graduate Program Director, Cybersecurity, Northeastern University

"Dr. Blake Urbach has served as the evaluator of two NSF ATE projects, focused on advanced manufacturing, at Marion Technical College. She designs and administers evaluation tools that not only accurately gauge project effectiveness but also enable the project team to discover new opportunities for program improvement, growth and sustainability. Dr. Urbach is adept at stakeholder engagement and enablement through the lifecycle of a grant. As P.I. on these projects, I have had the absolute pleasure of collaborating with her. I can say with complete confidence and certainty that she will continue to be our college’s evaluator of choice."

Elizabeth Azhikannickal, PhD

Elizabeth Azhikannickal, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation
Director & Assistant Professor, Engineering Technologies
Marion Technical College

NSF
USDA
DoE
SAMHSA
DHHS
NEA

Let us tailor an evaluation of your project in order to gain insight, present evidence of impact, and bolster your changemaking efforts.

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