Lisa Rau is a Senior Research Associate at MEF Associates. She has experience in policy research and evaluation in content areas such as early childhood, K-12 and postsecondary education, workforce development and training, and economic mobility and opportunity. She has evaluated programs and initiatives to inform strategic direction, monitor implementation, and measure outcomes and impact using mixed methods approaches. At MEF, Lisa works on projects related to early childhood programs, workforce support and development, and research translation.
Prior to joining MEF, Lisa worked as an Associate at ECONorthwest, conducting economic and social policy research for local, tribal, and state governments. She also led grant evaluation system development as the Learning and Research Officer at a philanthropic start-up in Minnesota and supported local early care and education workforce system change as a Policy Fellow with Transforming Minnesota’s Early Childhood Workforce.
Lisa holds a Master of Public Policy and Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Policy from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Japanese Culture from the University of Oregon. When Lisa is not working, she enjoys outdoor adventures, learning new games and crafts, and watching movies with her husband and cat, Nigel.