Natalie Orozco, an expert researcher and program evaluator, has joined Education Northwest as a Leader in Applied Research & Equitable Evaluation. Natalie will leverage her rich and diverse professional experiences and her passion for storytelling and systems change to lead Education Northwest teams in research and evaluation projects.

Natalie earned her master’s in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her professional experience spans program evaluation, policy research, strategic planning, coaching and facilitation, youth development, and social services. Most recently, she conducted research and evaluation at the GLIDE Foundation in San Francisco, a social justice organization; she has served as an engagement manager and strategic consultant at Artemis Connection; and consulted on policy research at Meta HQ in Menlo Park via U.S. Technology Solutions.

I’m a daughter of immigrants. My father was born in Colombia, and my mother was born in Mexico. Because education wasn’t guaranteed for all children in my parents’ home countries, I grew up knowing it was a privilege and a priority.

“I spent the first half of my career leading and evaluating youth development and out-of-school programs,” says Natalie. “Later, I learned to evaluate federal and state education initiatives and track policy changes at those levels. I’ve also evaluated culturally responsive education initiatives, like recent arrivals and dual-language programs. Throughout my career, I’ve learned so much about making evaluations more equitable, engaging in community research, and conducting participatory action research. Essentially, making storytelling and data collection just, collaborative acts via mixed-methods research practices.”

These cross-sector experiences inspire Natalie’s approach to research and evaluation. They motivate her to seek patterns across systems and organizations to find solutions that help students thrive in school and in life.

“I believe an excellent and equitable education means that system leaders and institutional leaders value the whole human experience,” Natalie says. “So much education happens out of regular school time, such as social-emotional development, healthy relationships, and culture sharing in community settings. Informal places of learning bring value and should be included in the whole-human approach to inspire a lifelong love of learning and engagement.”

Natalie was drawn to Education Northwest in part because of its focus on educational equity. A first-generation college student, she has a deeply personal understanding of the power of education.

“I’m a daughter of immigrants,” explains Natalie. “My father was born in Colombia, and my mother was born in Mexico. Because education wasn’t guaranteed for all children in my parents’ home countries, I grew up knowing it was a privilege and a priority. I’ve never taken it for granted, and my life’s work has been about collaborating with people in organizations, foundations, and government agencies to expand access to education and information for all.”

Natalie is a tremendous addition to our research and evaluation team. She brings a combination of experience, skill, and passion that can take projects to the next level—not only meeting the practical needs of our partners, but also creating an empowering and collaborative experience that resonates long after the initial engagement. We are so excited to have her on our team.
—Chris Mazzeo, senior director of applied research and equitable evaluation at Education Northwest. “