Winter Newsletter

2025

Dear Seattle Evaluation Association community,

We want to start by acknowledging the turmoil, hardships, and uncertainty we are all currently facing. The new administration and its recent onslaught of executive actions have brought about a whirlwind of emotions and disruptions that are and will deeply affect many of us in some way, even more so our vulnerable and marginalized community members. We stand with you in acknowledging the pain, confusion, and distress that have emerged from these turbulent times.

As an organization that exists for its members, we remain committed to supporting each and every one of you as we navigate through these circumstances together. In moments like these, our unity and solidarity are more important than ever. We remain committed to our principals of anti-racism and equity, as we believe now is the time, if you are able, to come together and take action. We encourage you to stay engaged, raise your voices, and advocate for the change we so desperately need while also finding time to unplug, rest, and recharge.

We encourage you to use this network and platform to share resources and amplify efforts of resistance. Members can use the website forum to highlight helpful resources for each other or ask questions. See the end of this newsletter for more details on using this website feature. Please also feel free to contact us with any questions or ideas for ways we can support this community moving forward. We are happy to share resources on your behalf while respecting anonymity.

In solidarity and support,

The Seattle Evaluation Association Leadership Team

In this issue:

Welcome our new Events Officer, Ciara Knight!
Membership perks and rates
Engagement Survey - even if you aren't a member, take our survey and let us know what you would like to see offered!
List of upcoming events
Opportunities to get involved through committees and volunteering as President-Elect
Did you know...tips on navigating the website

Reminder: the AEA submission deadline has been extended and proposals are now due Friday, March 28th!

Please join me in welcoming our new Events Officer, Ciara Knight!

Ciara graduated from Claremont Graduate University, is the Senior Evaluation Officer with Sankofa Consulting, and is AEA's 2025 Chair for the STEM Education & Training Evaluation TIG. She specializes in culturally responsive and equitable approaches, with a focus on evaluating health and science education programs. Her work integrates social science research, emphasizing the impact of cultural, organizational, and political factors on evaluation practice.

We are thrilled to welcome Ciara to our team!

Membership

If you are not already a Seattle Evaluation Association member, now is a great time to join! We have some exciting events on the horizon, which are always free for members. As a member, you also get discounted or free admission to other local affiliate events, access to member directory on the website, priority communication about job opportunities and RFPs, ability to vote on bylaws and board representatives, and the satisfaction on supporting to your local evaluation community!

Individual rate - $50
Individual w/hardship discount rate - $25
Individual w/hardship donation rate - $75
Students rate - $20

Membership fees are due annually. To ensure access to the Seattle Evaluation Association is inclusive for all, we offer individual membership at a discounted rate for those who need it. This option is self-selected and there is no application process. We trust that this opportunity will be used by those who need it. We are also grateful to those who are able to provide an additional donation with their membership to cover this cost for someone else.

Member Survey

Whether you just joined, have been a member for awhile, or are not yet a member, please complete this short survey to let us know a little bit more about who you are! We are curious about who we are reaching as an organization and any preferences you might have to inform our offerings.

This survey is anonymous and responses will only be seen by the Leadership Team to plan events. If you have any questions, you can reach out to info@evalseattle.org.

If you have more questions about membership rates, want to become a member, or check to make sure your membership hasn't lapsed, visit our membership page! Member dues are the primary way we can plan events and give back to you all.

Upcoming Events

Seattle Evaluation Cafe Event Series

On the 15th of every month, SEA hosts a casual, drop-in opportunity for folks to "brew up" insights on a variety of evaluation topics. These cafe events are virtual and open to all. Our recent cafe in January focused on the use of AI in evaluation work, where attendees shared insightful questions, helpful resources, and offered interesting ethical considerations. In February, our new Events Officer and long-time AEA member Ciara Knight shared ways for all of us to maximize our AEA membership.

Upcoming topics are posted on our Events page: Upcoming Events. The zoom link is the same from month-to-month. Registration isn't required but is encouraged. Here's a sneak peak of the next several cafes:

March: 90 Days In and Navigating the Socio-Political Landscape. This cafe is open to the public but will not be recorded. Share your questions, resources, and concerns with a supportive community.
April: Independent or Contract Evaluation. Share what you find invigorating about this work, ask questions if you are thinking about entering the field, and share experiences with others interested or in the independent space.
In May, join us in-person for a "Cafe After Dark." The SEA leadership team will be hosting a happy hour with light snacks and casual conversations. Location and details will be announced on our Events page and emailed to subscribers.
June: Integrating Frameworks. Do you use a particular orientation but need to integrate a framework for a contract or client? Join us as we talk about integrating, aligning, and reconciling various frameworks.

Socials

In July, our Events Officer, Ciara Knight, will host a game night with the SEA leadership team! If you are around and want to connect, stay tuned for event details. We tentatively plan to host this event on a Thursday evening in West Seattle. Have date preferences you want us to consider? Email us at info@evalseattle.org with subject line "July Date Preferences."

Webinars and Event Topics

While still in the works, we are excited to share a few event topics that will be coming soon!

Using a Positive Psychology lens in Evaluation work.
Various Perspectives in Evaluation: From Funders to Advisors, What are the Different Perspectives to Consider?

Have other ideas? Interested in speaking or sharing your ideas? We offer a lot of flexibility and work with our presenters to generate useful and engaging events that work best for their schedule and preferences. Let us know if you have an event idea or are interested in presenting!

Opportunities to get Involved

Committees

We're always interested in hearing more from our members when it comes to budgeting, event planning, and communicating on social media. Sign up to join one of our three committees: Finance, Communications, or Events. Committee members have a hand in generating ideas and implementing a project. Involvement includes attending committee meetings planned at the discretion of the committee chair, and any additional time to implement ideas. Committees are not meant to take up a lot of time but will greatly benefit member experience.

Click here to indicate interest (this doesn't mean you are committing to anything other than receiving more information): Committee Sign Up Form

President-Elect

We are still open to recruiting a President-Elect, who will commit to serving a two-year term. Use the same form above to indicate interest or nominate someone you know. This is a good opportunity for someone who is interested in getting more involved but wants to observe the leadership volunteer process first. There are no minimum qualifications for volunteering.

We want to hear from you!

We are always looking for ways to increase engagement with members. If you have an event idea or want to hear from a particular speaker or on a particular topic, reach out at info@evalseattle.org and let us know!

Head to our website to learn more about the leadership team roles and specifics of job responsibilities. Email Rachael Waldrop, President, with questions or interest at president@evalseattle.org.

Did You Know?

Tips on Navigating the Seattle Evaluation Association Website

Members have exclusive access to the member directory. What is this and how does it work? The member directory includes a list of all currently active members, their position titles, and organization affiliation. You can access this directory by clicking on "Member Space" from the home page of the website.

See someone who works at an organization you are interested in learning more about? Does someone have skills in the same area as you, and you want to start a conversation or get to know them? You can send a message through the portal that will end up in their inbox! Start new connections and grow your evaluation network by exploring the Member Directory!

There is also a Forum board that allows you to post a message or question to the group! Hosting your own event you want to advertise? Want to propose a social event that isn't on the calendar? Want to discuss a recent article or resource you came across? Feel free to start a new professional or social forum post. We highly encourage our members to use this feature to share resources at this time!

Friendly Reminder - the AEA submission deadline has been extended and proposals are now due Friday, March 28th!

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