NATALIE E. COOK
[email protected]
(607) 227-6702
EDUCATION
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
Doctor of Philosophy, Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education 2014 - 2019
Concentration in Extension and Community Education; GPA: 3.84
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
Master of Science in Life Sciences in Agricultural and Extension Education 2014 - 2015
Concentration in Extension and Community Education; GPA: 3.75
University of Delaware Newark, DE
Master of Science Coursework in Human Development and Family Studies 2012 – 2014
GPA: 4.00
Cornell University Ithaca, NY
Bachelor of Science in Human Development 2008 – 2012
Concentrations in Cognitive Development and Social & Personality Development; GPA: 3.11
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Graduate Discussion Leader
Virginia Tech
Evaluation of Extension and Outreach Programs 2014 - 2015
Teaching Assistant
University of Delaware
Human Services Internship 2012 – 2013
Culture in Context, Study Abroad in Barbados January 2013
Cornell University
Science of Social Behavior 2011 – 2012
The Role and Meaning of Play 2011 – 2012
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION EXPERIENCE
Virginia Tech
Assistant Professor of Public Health 2020 - Present
Conduct program evaluation and evaluation research; develop and evaluate evaluation capacity building interventions; establish and develop Population Health Science’s Community Health Outreach & Program Evaluation (HOPE) Lab; write grant proposals; teach graduate course on public health program evaluation; serve as a mentor for graduate students
Oklahoma State University
Program Evaluation Specialist 2018 - 2020
Evaluated programs and research initiatives of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES), Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station (OAES), and other educational and research programs in the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (DASNR); planned and conducted mixed methods evaluation; developed evaluation instruments and databases; created evaluation reports; evaluated multi-institutional projects; designed and implemented evaluation-related in-service trainings for in-person and online delivery; promoted and supported evaluation utilization; scaffolded development of faculty impact statements; developed online evaluation course for Extension educators; established and led DASNR Impacts Group (DIG) to facilitate collaboration and capacity building with other DASNR evaluation specialists; developed and led ELEVATE, OSU Extension’s evaluation capacity building initiative; promoted organizational culture of evaluation and continuous improvement; managed unit account; supervised student assistants
Virginia Tech
Research Assistant; Advisor: Dr. Archibald 2014 - 2018
Evaluation capacity building worskshops and trainings; evaluation support for Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Program, and the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program, including instrument development, data collection, data management, data analysis, and evaluation reporting.
University of Delaware
Evaluator & Research Assistant
Just in Time Parenting, Cooperative Extension; PI: Dr. Nelson 2012 – 2014
Conduct mixed methods evaluation using surveys, focus groups, and interviews; present evaluation data in written reports and at conferences; supervise graduate and undergraduate research assistants and interns
Research Assistant
Adapting the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up Parenting Intervention for Summer 2012
Delivery by Early Head Start Home Visitors; PI: Dr. Hustedt
Conducted literature review; searched for measures; created database in SPSS
Cornell University
Research Assistant
Cornell Office for Research on Evaluation; PI: Dr. Trochim 2010 – 2012
Facilitated evaluation workshops; created relational database in Access for mixed data
Research Assistant
Cornell Infant Studies Lab, Cornell University; PI: Dr. Casasola 2010 – 2011
Designed experimental stimuli; recruited participants; entered and coded data
Research Assistant
Laboratory for Rational Decision Making, Cornell University; PI: Dr. Reyna 2009 – 2010
Entered and analyzed data in SPSS; contributed to development of sex education intervention media
PROGRAM LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
University of Delaware
Advisor, ASPIRE Program March 2014 – May 2014
Help to re-envision the ASPIRE program; manage a caseload of underrepresented, low-income, and first-generation students in Education and Human Services; plan student development activities; track student progress; work with the Assistant Dean of Students and two other graduate advisors
Senior Program Assistant, McNair Scholars Program May 2013 – May 2014
Engage scholars in community-building activities; create and maintain electronic program database; evaluate program activities; provide one-on-one support for minority students applying to doctoral programs, including providing feedback on their personal statements; contribute to organization of end-of-summer symposium
Cornell University
Founding Director, Program Leadership Education in Design, Growth, and Evaluation (PLEDGE) August 2011 - May 2012
Successfully obtained funding for community education program to provide community members with program ideas support in their program and evaluation plans; conducted 10-week program development and evaluation workshop series; coordinated symposium
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Secrets of Happy Families Workshop Series for Parents, First Presbyterian Church
Co-Facilitator March 2014
Conducted month-long workshop series for parents; engaged participants in discussions on Bruce Feiler’s Secrets of Happy Families; created and delivered Powerpoint presentations based on parenting research; guided participants in reflection and action-planning
The People’s Report, University of Delaware
Communications Coordinator 2013 – 2014
Worked with Dr. Yasser Payne, the principal investigator, to promote and disseminate findings from the Wilmington Participatory Action Research (PAR) Project; helped to promote the Wilmington Trap Stars Street Art Festival; conducted stakeholder analysis; managed database; used Constant Contact to email stakeholders; supervised undergraduate project assistant
Cooperative Extension, University of Delaware
Extension Scholar 2013
Participated in summer Extension Scholars Program; learned about the Cooperative Extension system, mission, and programs; explored Cooperative Extension career possibilities; reached out to program stakeholders to gather feedback and brainstorm program development possibilities for Just in Time Parenting
University of Delaware
Undergraduate Advisor, Human Development & Family Studies 2012 – 2013
Provided academic advising for Human Services and Early Childhood Education undergraduates; processed and filed student forms; contributed to the reimagining of ASPIRE, a program for underrepresented students majoring in Teacher Education, Early Childhood Education, and Human Services
Northeast Elementary School
Universal Pre-K Classroom Assistant 2012
Provided classroom support for preschoolers of diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds; led classroom activities; provided scaffolding for children in free-play
PUBLICATIONS
Archibald, T., Cook, N., & Hopson, R. (forthcoming, 2019). Centering cultural responsiveness in the evaluation of community-
based education. In B. McMahon, & L. Merriweather (Eds.), Convictions of Conscience: How Voices from the Margins
Inform Public Actions and Educational Leadership. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Archibald, T., Sharrock, G., Buckley, J., & Cook, N. (2016). Assumptions, conjectures, and other Miracles: The application of
evaluative thinking to theory of change models in community development. Evaluation and Program Planning.
doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.05.015
Ikonomidou, V. N., Richert, N. D., Vortmeyer, A., Tovar-Moll, F., Bielekova, B., Cook, N. E., ... & Bagnato, F. (2013). Evolution
of tumefactive lesions in multiple sclerosis: A 12-year study with serial imaging in a single patient. Multiple Sclerosis
Journal, 19(11), 1539-1543.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Finan, L. J., Cook, N. E., Powell, M., & Nelson, P. T. (2014, November). Evaluating the Impact of Just in Time Parenting in
Delaware. Poster to be presented at the annual meeting of the National Council of Family Relations, Baltimore,
Maryland.
Cook, N.E. & Nelson, P.T. (2013, October). Engaging Stakeholders to Evaluate Just in Time Parenting, an eXtension Resource.
Paper presented at the annual American Evaluation Association Conference, Washington, District of Columbia.
Cook, N.E. (2013, June). Engaging Stakeholders to Evaluate Just in Time Parenting, an eXtension Resource. Paper presented at
the annual End of Summer Symposium, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware.
Cook, N.E. (2013, April). Risk and Resilience among Black Youth in Urban Ecosystems: Factors beyond Crime and Fate. Paper
presented at the annual Marion H. Steele Symposium, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware.
Cook, N.E. (2012, October). The Community PLEDGE: Building Evaluation Capacity among Community-Based Program
Leaders. Paper presented at the annual American Evaluation Association Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Archibald, T.A. & Cook, N.E. (2012, May). We’re Doing Holistic, Integrated Mixed Methods! Right?” Reflections on Tensions in
Mixing Methods. Paper presented at the annual International Conference for Qualitative Inquiry, Urbana Champagne,
Illinois.
Cook, N.E., Hebbard, C., Trochim, W.T. (2011, October). Using Relational Databases for Earlier Data Integration in Mixed
methods Approaches. Paper presented at the annual American Evaluation Association Conference, Anaheim, California.
OTHER PRESENTATIONS
Nelson, P., Finan, L. J., Cook, N. E. (2013, October). Managing Stress for Success: A Blueprint. Presentation given at the
Graduate Student Advisory Committee professional development workshop, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware.
GRANTS AND FUNDING
VT Engage Faculty Fellows, $8,000 for course transformation Fall 2020 – Fall 2021
CALS Diversity Incentive Fund, $2,000 for FNP Equity Audit Fall 2020 – Spring 2021
VMCVM COVID-19 Research, $5,000 to evaluate COVID-19 messaging Fall 2020
American Evaluation Association Student Travel Award 2014
Research Assistantship, Virginia Tech 2014 – 2018
Graduate Assistantship, University of Delaware 2012 – 2014
Professional Development Award, University of Delaware 2012
Cornell College of Human Ecology Alumni Association Grant 2012
Cornell Community Partnership Board Grant 2012
Jewish Foundation for Education of Women Scholarship 2012
AWARDS AND HONORS
Cooperative Extension Scholar, University of Delaware 2013
University Scholars Award, University of Delaware 2013
Dean Janice Turner’s Most Persistent Award, Cornell University 2012
State of New York Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence 2012
Dean’s List, Cornell University 2010 – 2011
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Evaluation Association
Cornell University Black Alumni Association
International Black Doctoral Network Association
National Network of Family Support & Strengthening Networks
SERVICE
State Delegate, National Network of Family Support & Strengthening Networks 2013
Publicity Chair, University of Delaware Black Graduate Students Association 2013
Peer Mentor, English Language Institute 2012
Volunteer Intern, McNair Scholars Program 2012
Cornell University Peer Mentor, Office of Minority Educational Affairs 2010 – 2011
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
- Promoting First Relationships (Parenting Intervention Program)
- Systems Evaluation Protocol
SOFTWARE TRAINING
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Dreamweaver
- MedEx
- Microsoft Office Suite
- SPSS
- WebEx