Dr. Lauren J. Bierbaum is the Head of Research, Data, and Evaluation at XQ Institute. In this role, she oversees XQ’s learning agenda, leads or supports implementation and policy change efforts, and constantly agitates for richer and more meaningful systems of assessment and accountability. Lauren’s expertise includes the science of learning; positive youth development; ethnographic, qualitative, and mixed methodologies;  collective impact frameworks; and translational science and research for action.

Prior to joining XQ, Lauren was a Senior Research Analyst at the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University, where she researched the impacts of various educational interventions on student success. Earlier in her career, Lauren served as Director of the Partnership for Youth Development, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rebuilding the K12, out-of-school time, and juvenile justice sectors in post-Katrina New Orleans. She has also worked in market research, as a youth services provider, and as a classroom teacher. Lauren holds an M.S. in Developmental Psychology and a doctorate in American Studies from Yale University. A New Jersey native, Lauren currently splits her time between the Bay Area and New Orleans.

Pronouns: she/her