Emmy Robison

Associate Director of Research Operations

Why LEO?

"I was drawn to LEO due to a profound sense of purpose, fueled by a desire to be part of a collective effort to dismantle the barriers of poverty. Poverty is the insidious underhand that often directs and determines outcomes for individuals without their say. I believe in a future where this can be different. LEO's unwavering commitment to evidence-based evaluation resonates with my deeply ingrained belief that there are policies and initiatives that have the power to uplift people – if only we can find them and prove they work. Leading impactful research projects at LEO is an opportunity to reshape lives and rewrite narratives. LEO goes beyond the professional realm, where each data point represents a person, a story, and an opportunity for radical change."

Bio

Emmy serves as the Associate Director of Research Operations, leading LEO’s research staff and strategic research initiatives from project inception through the dissemination of research findings. She supervises the project development team, research design managers, and research associates as they conduct rigorous impact evaluations of social service providers working every day to end poverty.

Emmy comes to LEO from the field of education, where she worked for many years. She earned her BA from the University of Notre Dame as well as her MA in Educational Leadership. She spent five years teaching first and third grade before moving into administration, serving as the Assistant Principal for Academics at Notre Dame Preparatory High School in AZ and then as the Vice Principal at St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas. Emmy recently earned her PhD in Educational Leadership Policy at Texas Tech University.