Mariel Sparr, Ph.D., M.A.
Vice President
Mariel Sparr brings nearly 20 years of experience in applied research and evaluation, generating evidence to inform practice and policy in support of families, young children, and youth. She oversees a portfolio of large-scale, multiyear projects spanning early childhood home visiting, workforce development, implementation quality, and family well-being, leading teams of researchers, partners, and staff and providing technical oversight and direction. She brings a distinct perspective to her work, shaped by her lived experience as an early care provider in center and home-based settings.
Sparr serves as principal investigator or project director on multiple projects, including the Institute for Home Visiting Workforce Development and Jackie Walorski Center for Evidence-Based Case Management, the Supporting and Strengthening the Home Visiting Workforce project, Examining Drivers and Impacts of Home Visitor Professional Well-Being, and the Home Visiting Assessments of Implementation Quality project. She is also spearheading new efforts to enhance home visiting training and service delivery through technology, including artificial intelligence. Grounded in a community-engaged approach, she prioritizes collaboration with practitioners and programs to ensure findings are relevant, actionable, and responsive.
Her technical expertise includes qualitative and quantitative research designs, methodology, measurement development, and data collection and analysis.
Prior to her current role, Sparr held leadership positions on projects focused on home visiting evaluation, afterschool programs, and national technical assistance and resource development efforts in early childhood home visiting.
Sparr received a Ph.D. in child development from Erikson Institute/Loyola University and an M.A. in educational psychology from the University of Nebraska.