ROBIN LABARBERA
Evaluation for human flourishing.
I work at the intersection of research, evaluation, and lived experience, helping organizations understand how their work contributes to human flourishing in complex social contexts.
A different approach to evaluation.
This work takes a different approach.
It integrates data, narrative, and lived experience to understand not only where a program is working, but how and why changes take place. The goal is not to simply measure outcomes, but to understand the conditions that support human flourishing over time.
Areas of focus:
- Human flourishing
- Incarceration and reentry
- Faith-based and community-based programs
- Identity, purpose, and relational change
Approach
Mixed-methods research
My work draws on mixed-methods research, combining quantitative data with qualitative insight to provide a fuller understanding of program impact.
Integrated methods
This includes survey design, interviews, and thematic analysis, alongside reporting that communicates both findings and meaning.
Rigorous and usable
The aim is to produce work that is both rigorous and usable, supporting decision-making, strengthening programs, and clarifying impact.
Experience
I bring almost three decades of experience in assessment and program evaluation, with work spanning nonprofit organizations, higher education, and community-based initiatives.
Much of this work has focused on complex environments where change is difficult to measure but deeply significant, including incarceration and reentry.
Social advocacy is my specialty. I use my public voice to bring awareness to the issues you care about. I don't just help you develop your project or collect your evaluation data—I share it with a wider audience to advocate for what matters to you. I write peer-reviewed articles, blog, post on social media, write books, speak at conferences, and appear on radio shows, all with the ultimate goal of promoting your cause.
Let's partner to address today's most pressing social issues.
To explore the research and writing that grounds this work, visit robinlabarbera.com.
Research and writing
My work examines how transformation takes place in constrained environments, particularly through education and community.
This is reflected in my book, It’s Changed What I’m Living For, based on a multi-year study of theological education in prison that explores identity, purpose, and human flourishing over time.
