Heather Morrison

Heather M. Morrison is the director of data collection and management (DCM) at DIR. She has over 16 years of experience in managing a diverse range of large-scale, complex research projects across a variety of both quantitative and qualitative data collection modes. She has overseen all aspects of survey research projects, including sample design, implementation and monitoring; questionnaire development and implementation; interviewer recruitment and training; development and maintenance of data collection processes and systems; ongoing data analysis, review, preparation and delivery; and financial monitoring and reporting. Ms. Morrison has overseen projects across a wide range of data collection modes including dual-mode random digit dial (RDD) telephone surveys, multimode address-based sampling (ABS) survey designs, face-to-face surveys, and cognitive interviews. She has managed numerous surveys of varying size on behalf of the National Center for Health Statistics, including the National Survey of Children’s Health, which collected data on the physical and emotional health of children under 18 years of age from as many as 91,000 parent respondents per wave, and the Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services in which data was collected from approximately 4,000 parents of children diagnosed with autism or autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, and developmental delay. As the director of DCM, Ms. Morrison develops processes for and oversees the performance of all of DIR’s data collection activities—including telephone, web-based, and field surveys; student assessments; classroom observations; focus groups and in-depth interviews; and other primary data collection. She earned her master’s degree in philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis, and has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology from Albion College in Michigan.