Consultants at Quality Measures represent a wide-range of talents and experiences in program evaluation, assessment strategies, accreditation visits, strategic planning and statistical analysis. Each consultant is dedicated to continuous development as experts in their field and demonstrates uncompromising quality and integrity of work provided to our clients.
Dr. Gwen Lee-Thomas
CEO of Quality Measures LLC
Dr. Gwen Lee-Thomas is the CEO of Quality Measures, LLC—a Virginia-based consulting firm specializing in program and project evaluation, team building, and strengthening organizational health through accountability with senior leadership teams. She has been an external consultant and success strategist for nearly 30 years serving businesses, government organizations, community-based organizations, colleges and universities across the nation. In addition to these experiences, Gwen has conducted over 130 grant-funded education and research-based evaluations valued at over $150M, collectively throughout the United States. These evaluations have included various STEM-H programs funded by NSF, U.S. Dept of Education, Dept. of Energy, DOD, HRSA, and DOJ.
Executive leadership capacities have included state board chair of the Indiana Minority Health Coalition (IMHC), Executive Assistant to two college/university presidents, and commissioner on the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE). During her tenure as state board chair of IMHC, Gwen worked collaboratively with her board, senior administrators, and legislative caucuses in navigating state budget cuts, developing a revenue-generating subsidiary, designing, and implementing an affiliation/de-affiliation agreement with 19 local coalitions, and developing a 5-Year strategic plan. As the Executive Assistant to the President of RHIT, Gwen worked closely with the president in the restructuring of the organization’s administrative team—including retirements, reassignments, and promotions, provided the logistical work for the 5-Year strategic plan with the College’s 52-member board of directors, and supported the College in reducing their budget by 6% across all functional areas.
With regards to accreditation and university-wide assessment plans, Gwen has led and supported accreditation reaffirmations and has created digital data portfolios to support the institutional research process. She led university-wide programs to develop applications for the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge Award – a process requiring rigorous documentation of student outcomes and strategies for measuring data, using data for continuous improvement, and developing metrics to inform standards and outcomes.
Other experiences include community relations board for the U.S. Penitentiary of Federal Bureau of Prisons, the United Way Grants Sub-Committee, and Academic Business Council of the Greater Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce in Indiana.
Gwen received her bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1984, a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 1996, and a PhD in Education Administration in 1999, both from Indiana State University.
Mary J. Combs, M.S.
Senior Evaluator
Mary J. Combs is a seasoned evaluator with over 15 years of experience advancing equity and effectiveness across education, health, and workforce development sectors. Currently serving as a Senior Evaluator with Quality Measures LLC, she leads projects from inception to close-out, applying evidence-based methodologies and culturally responsive evaluation strategies. Her expertise includes developing comprehensive evaluation plans, designing data collection tools, and conducting mixed-methods research that translates into actionable insights for stakeholders.
Mary brings a dual background in program evaluation and technical training. During her tenure at Old Dominion University, she collaborated with faculty and community partners to enhance organizational performance through strategic learning design, instructional training, and robust assessment frameworks. Earlier in her career, she managed large-scale academic computing environments and delivered IT training and digital literacy programming for both institutional and community-based organizations.
Her professional experience spans roles with the Virginia Department of Health and Human Services, Georgia Southern University (including work with the Student Disabilities Office), ComCare Behavioral Health Services, and Enoch Transition Home. Across all positions, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to inclusion, access, and technology-enabled problem-solving.
Mary holds a Master of Science in Occupational & Technical Studies (Business & Industry Training) from Old Dominion University and holds certifications in A+ CompTIA, CPR/First Aid, and Human Resources Leadership. She is proficient in SPSS, Excel, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Tableau, Access, Canvas, and Smartsheet, with foundational programming knowledge in HTML. With a deep understanding of both data and people, she bridges evaluation and training to support mission-driven organizations.
Dr. Codjo AC Akpovo
Program and Project Evaluator
Dr. Codjo A. C. Akpovo is a Project and Program Evaluator at Quality Measures LLC, where he actively manages five projects and co-manages two others. He brings a unique interdisciplinary background to his role, combining rigorous scientific training with a deep passion for education. A physicist by training, Dr. Akpovo spent nearly two decades at Florida A&M University (FAMU), conducting advanced research in laser spectroscopy and plasma physics. During this period, he coordinated numerous grant-funded scientific and educational research projects, enhancing the analytical skills he now employs in program evaluation. While at FAMU, Dr. Akpovo coordinated a National Science Foundation (NSF)–funded STEM education research initiative focused on improving student achievement and retention. This experience sparked a strong interest in educational program evaluation. In 2019, he began collaborating with Quality Measures LLC as an independent contractor, contributing to projects aimed at strengthening STEM student success efforts.
In 2024, he transitioned into a full-time role, shifting his career from the physics laboratory to the field of educational research and assessment. In his current position, Dr. Akpovo leverages his interdisciplinary expertise to help colleges and universities enhance their programs and outcomes. He applies the same meticulous, data-driven approach that defined his scientific research to the evaluation of academic programs and student support initiatives. Drawing on his hands-on experience with higher education and STEM retention strategies, he identifies what works best to keep students engaged and thriving in STEM fields. Dr. Akpovo has contributed to research on institutional strategies for boosting student retention and academic achievement in higher education. He is committed to presenting evaluation findings in an accessible way, ensuring that educators and stakeholders can use those insights to drive continuous improvement. Through his work at Quality Measures, he helps clients transform data into actionable strategies for advancing student success across interdisciplinary STEM education programs.
Dr. Sherrell J. Hendrix
Operations Manager and Remote Team Lead
Dr. Sherrell J. Hendrix is the Operations & Remote Team Lead at Quality Measures LLC. In her role, she manages QM’s team of Independent Contractors while also supporting current evaluation projects. Dr. Hendrix is skilled in team leadership, operations management, strategic planning, systems thinking, and process design. She has worked with nonprofits, foundations, schools, and public agencies to clarify vision, strengthen organizational capacity, and develop sustainable solutions that balance competing priorities.
Her ability to facilitate cross-sector collaborations, manage remote teams effectively, and integrate stakeholder engagement with data-driven decision-making ensures that evaluation and strategic planning efforts are both actionable and measurable. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Delaware State University, where she teaches doctoral courses in research methods and design. This teaching role complements her applied work and reflects her commitment to advancing evaluation practice and research capacity in the field. Dr. Hendrix holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Virginia and both a Master’s and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Old Dominion University.
Nevaeh S. Smith
Research & Survey Database Development
Nevaeh Smith is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Management at Old Dominion University. She has experience in human resources, organizational research, and data analysis, focusing on improving employee experiences and workplace culture. Her passion for becoming an HR specialist and organizational consultant led her to Quality Measures LLC, where she supports the design of survey databases, conducts literature reviews, and assists with data verification and reliability testing. Her research experience includes coding for a meta-analysis on emotional intelligence and workplace mistreatment and contributing to an article under review by the Journal of Business and Psychology. A proud daughter among five in a sea of boys, Nevaeh enjoys spending time surrounded by family and friends.
Brandie Freeman
Independent Contractor
Brandie Freeman, MPH supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor, specializing in qualitative data analysis and report writing. She plays a key role in synthesizing interview data, focus group findings, and open-ended responses into clear, evidence-based narratives that support evaluation reports, grant deliverables, and stakeholder communications.
Brandie is currently a Public Health Program Manager with Prince George’s County, Maryland, where she supervises and manages outreach and disease intervention efforts focused on sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention. In this role, she oversees program implementation, staff coordination, and data-informed strategies to improve community health outcomes.
Brandie holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Services Counseling with a minor in Community Health from Old Dominion University and a Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Health Education and Administration. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), with formal training in program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Her professional background includes experience in hospital management, where she managed work processes across four hospitals, and in the nonprofit sector, where she analyzed the effectiveness of health education programs. In these roles, she implemented new initiatives, evaluated program efficiency, and provided analysis and recommendations to stakeholders to guide program improvement and future planning.
Brandie has worked closely on projects supported by the Centers for Disease Control, conducting both qualitative and quantitative analysis and authoring narratives for grant proposals, annual progress reports, and data reports. Her experience in project management, healthcare administration, and counseling has equipped her to work effectively with diverse populations,
identify programmatic gaps, and support initiatives centered on diversity, inclusion, and health equity, with a particular focus on underserved communities.
Courtney Boyd
Independent Contractor
Courtney Boyd, MA supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor and serves as one of the team’s report writers. In this role, she contributes to the development of evaluation reports by translating research findings and evidence-based analyses into clear, well-structured narratives that support decision-making and stakeholder learning.
Courtney’s professional experience centers on supporting educational, military, and wellness initiatives through program evaluations, clinical trials, and other evidence-based methodologies. She brings deep expertise in literature searching and systematic review processes and has taught workshops on these methods as well as on foundational research literacy.
She has co-authored multiple presentations, peer-reviewed journal articles, and book chapters on topics including integrative medicine and cognitive aging, with a focus on military performance, stress, pain, self-efficacy, and memory. Courtney is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds a Master of Arts in Developmental Psychology with a concentration in Adult Development and Aging, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Biology and Studio Art from the University of Richmond.
Erika Stoerkel
Independent Contractor
Erika Stoerkel, MSc supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor, specializing in qualitative data analysis. In this role, she contributes to the synthesis and interpretation of
qualitative data, helping translate interviews, narratives, and community input into insights that inform evaluation findings and reporting.
Erika is currently a Regional Health Services Supervisor for Gunnison County, where she supports health services delivery and community-based initiatives. Her professional background spans public health, nonprofit work, and strategic operations, with a focus on improving systems and outcomes through data-informed decision-making.
In addition to her public health work, Erika is a Marketing Strategist and certified Online Business Manager who partners with CEOs to support organic business growth. Her work has helped organizations mitigate costs, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen communication with key stakeholders and audiences—often through targeted, high-impact adjustments.
Earlier in her career, Erika spent nearly a decade working with nonprofit organizations and the Department of Defense, where she supported research and initiatives focused on integrative modalities and performance optimization within the U.S. military. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
Dr. Sundra Kincey
Independent Contractor
Dr. Sundra D. Kincey supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor and serves as a subject matter expert. In this role, she provides deep expertise in academic program quality, evaluation, and higher education systems, strengthening QM’s formative and summative evaluation work.
Dr. Kincey is the Assistant Vice President of Program Quality in the Division of Academic Affairs at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). In this role, she provides leadership in the development of new degree offerings, oversees the university’s academic program review process, supports specialized accreditation for both initial and reaccreditation, and leads policy development and implementation related to academic programming and degree authorization.
Dr. Kincey brings more than twenty years of experience in higher education, with combined service at both the institutional and statewide system levels. Her professional expertise includes policy analysis and development, academic program review and evaluation, specialized accreditation, academic advising and career planning, online instruction, supervision, public speaking, and undergraduate teaching.
She is a member of the inaugural class of FAMU’s Leadership Academy and has research interests focused on the retention, persistence, and academic success of minoritized student populations. In addition, Dr. Kincey serves as an evaluator for an NSF ADVANCE grant, a consultant report writer for formative and summative evaluations, and a reviewer for select peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Melissa Quackenbush
Independent Contractor
Dr. Melissa Quackenbush supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor and serves as a subject matter expert. In this role, she provides content and methodological expertise that strengthens QM’s evaluation work, particularly in areas related to education, instruction, and learning systems.
Dr. Quackenbush is a graduate of the Educational Psychology and Program Evaluation doctoral program at Old Dominion University. She also holds an Educational Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Liberty University and a Master of Science in Reading Education from the University of South Florida.
Dr. Quackenbush brings fifteen years of experience in public education, having served in school systems across Central Florida and Northern New Jersey. Her professional roles have included
secondary English teacher, Reading Specialist, Instructional Technology Coach, Supervisor of Instruction, and Director of Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Technology.
In addition to her work in school systems, Dr. Quackenbush provides educational consulting services to public and private schools through her LLC, Engage Momentum. Her research interests include teacher training, self-regulated learning, and computer-supported collaborative learning environments.
Alexis Brame
Independent Contractor
Alexis Brame, MBA supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor, assisting with data collection, data cleanup, and preparation of datasets that help ensure accuracy, consistency, and usability across projects. Her work strengthens QM’s evaluation and reporting efforts by improving data quality and supporting efficient analysis.
Alexis is an experienced Human Resources consultant with over eight years of experience across corporate, retail, and startup environments, with a specialty in the healthcare field. Previously, Alexis spent six years at Target, where she began as an Executive Team Lead and was promoted to General Merchandise and Food Sales Leader. In this role, she oversaw daily operations for a high-volume store generating more than $80 million in annual sales and managed over 200 team members. Her responsibilities included coordinating internal and external operations to ensure accurate delivery of materials, staffing, and resources.
Alexis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from James Madison University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She currently resides in Texas with her husband, son, and dogs.
Cecilia LaPlace
Independent Contractor
Dr. Cecilia La Place supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor, serving as a report writer and report reviewer. In this role, she contributes to the development, refinement, and quality assurance of evaluation reports, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment between findings, analysis, and written narratives.
Cecilia holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Software Engineering, as well as a Ph.D. in Engineering Education. She brings a strong interdisciplinary background that bridges technical expertise with research and evaluation practice. Her experience includes qualitative research, along with formal training in quantitative and mixed methods research.
In addition to her work with Quality Measures, Cecilia works on internal tooling as a developer and serves as a community leader supporting hackathon communities. Her work blends informal and formal educational spaces, with a focus on community development through technology, accessibility, and inclusivity.
Dr. Susan Sajada
Independent Contractor
Dr. Susan Sajadi supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor and serves as a generalist. In this role, she contributes across multiple aspects of QM’s evaluation and research work, bringing a flexible, interdisciplinary approach that supports analysis, synthesis, and reporting needs.
Susan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. She holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Education Systems and Design from Arizona State University, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering. Prior to entering academia, she worked as a biomedical engineer at W. L. Gore and other technology companies.
Susan’s professional experience spans STEM education, humanitarian engineering, and corporate social responsibility. Her research focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering; the school-to-work transition; engineering culture; fostering adaptability; and scenario-based learning across educational and workforce contexts. She is a mixed-methods researcher, drawing on both qualitative and quantitative approaches to promote evidence-based practices that support a more inclusive and impactful engineering field.
Melissa Kouha
Independent Contractor
Melissa Kouha, M.S., supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor, specializing in data collection. In this role, she supports the gathering, organization, and preparation of data that contributes to QM’s evaluation and research projects.
Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in International Business and French, as well as a Master’s degree in Information Technology. She is currently a third-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science, where her research focuses on broadening minority participation in computing and computer science education, with particular attention to the experiences of Black women in computing.
Dr. Krystal Andrews
Independent Contractor
Dr. Krystal E. Andrews supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor and serves as a data collection specialist. In this role, she supports the gathering and organization of data that underpins QM’s evaluation and research efforts, helping ensure data is complete, accurate, and reflective of participant experiences.
She is currently the Director of Student Success in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. As a practitioner, she has more than 10 years of experience in student success and retention programs at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) which fuels her passion for helping students envision their success.
As a scholar-practitioner, she is an American College Personnel Association (ACPA) member and has held various volunteer leadership roles with the Pan African Network. She has also been a member of the Pan African Network directorate board in various positions since 2013 and most recently served as the network chair. Her other professional organization memberships include the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and the Council for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC). Dr. Andrews’s research examines the experiences of Black women doctoral students at HBCUs and the influence of social support networks on the persistence of Black student populations across institutional types and intersectional identities.
Katreena Thomas
Independent Contractor
Dr. Katreena Thomas supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor and serves as a report writer. In this role, she contributes to the development of evaluation and research reports by translating complex findings into clear, well-organized narratives that support learning, decision-making, and accountability.
Katreena is currently an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow (STPF). Prior to this role, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Clemson University, supported by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) eFellows postdoctoral fellowship. Her academic training centers on the intersection of engineering, education, and systems design.
Katreena holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Education Systems Design and a Master of Science in Human Systems Engineering from Arizona State University. Before pursuing graduate study, she gained experience in the technology industry through operations-focused roles, strengthening her ability to connect research, systems, and practical implementation. Her work reflects a commitment to bridging research and policy to drive meaningful change in education and society.
Brandon Ugbesia
Independent Contractor
Brandon Ugbesia supports Quality Measures as an Independent Contractor, specializing in quantitative data analysis. In this role, he contributes to the analysis and interpretation of quantitative datasets, supporting evidence-based findings and evaluation outcomes across QM projects.
Brandon is a Ph.D. student in the Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering Department at the University of South Florida. His academic and research work focuses on addressing challenges within the American healthcare system, with an emphasis on expanding access to affordable medicines and healthcare solutions. He is gaining hands-on experience with advanced biotechnology tools and cancer research methodologies, strengthening his analytical and technical skill set.