Ashley Pierson has extensive work experience in the field of research and evaluation. Currently, they are a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Prior to this, they worked at Education Northwest, holding the position of Leader for Applied Research and Evaluation, where they started in January 2021 and continued until May 2022. Before assuming this role, they served as a Senior Researcher at Education Northwest from September 2013 to January 2021. Ashley also worked as an Assistant Policy Analyst at the RAND Corporation from September 2009 to September 2014. Earlier in their career, they held positions such as Project Coordinator at Innovations for Poverty Action from September 2007 to August 2009, and Monitoring & Evaluation Intern at Project Concern International from September 2006 to July 2007. Additionally, they worked as a Consultant for the VolunTourism Program at the International Community Foundation from June 2006 to January 2007. Ashley's earliest work experience includes serving as a Community Relations Assistant at the Office of the City Manager in the City of Kalamazoo, Michigan from May 2004 to August 2004.
Ashley Pierson's education history includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, which they obtained from 2001 to 2004. In 2002 and 2003, they also studied Spanish Studies at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Later, they pursued a Master of International Affairs degree at the University of California, San Diego, specializing in Quantitative Methods, Nonprofit Management, and Latin America from 2005 to 2007. Finally, they completed their education by earning a Ph.D. in Policy Analysis with a focus on Quantitative Methods and Education from the Pardee RAND Graduate School, where they studied from 2009 to 2014.
May, 2022 - present