The Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) is holding its 47^th Annual Fall Research Conference, “Forging Collaborations for Transformative and Resilient Policy Solutions,” in Seattle, WA, on November 13-15, 2025. MDRC experts are presenting papers and participating in panels and roundtables.

Thursday, November 13

8:30-10:00 AM
From Access to Completion: Causal Evidence from Financial Aid and Transfer Interventions in Higher Education

• Chair: Judith Scott-Clayton, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Discussants: Paco Martorell, University of California, Davis, and Taylor K. Odle, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• “Affording to Stay: Experimental Evidence on a Cost-of-Living Grant in Community Colleges,” Sade Bonilla, University of Pennsylvania
• “Assessing the Impact of the Washington College Grant: Insights from a Longitudinal State Data System,” Rebecca M. Unterman, MDRC
• “Understanding Low Uptake in a Cross-Enrollment Program Through a Randomized Controlled Trial,” Michael Hill, University of the Pacific

10:15-11:45 AM
State Research Partnerships: Using Administrative Data to Build Evidence

• Chair: Daniel Oliver, Washington Student Achievement Council
• Discussant: Jessica Dawn Cunningham, Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS)
• “State IMPACT Collaborative,” Richard Hendra, MDRC
• “Evaluating Ohio’s RESEA Program with Administrative Data and a Randomized Controlled Trial Design,” Tian Lou, The Ohio State University
• “Beyond Government: Building Research Capacity Through State Partnerships,” Isaac Kwakye, Washington Student Achievement Council
• “Putting Research into Practice: The Hidden Costs of Evidence Infrastructure,” Mary Kay Gugerty, University of Washington

10:15-11:15 AM
APPAM Communities: Rural Policy Research and Issues

• Marnie Werner, Minnesota Center for Rural Policy and Development
• Alyssa Ratledge, MDRC

Friday, November 14

8:30-10:00 AM
Conducting Implementation Research in Intervention Evaluation Studies: Resources for Researchers

• Moderator: Stephanie Moulton, The Ohio State University
• Beth Boulay, Brown University
• Eric Bruns, University of Washington School of Medicine
• Carolyn J. Hill, MDRC
• Lauren Scher, Mathematica

Employment and Financial Outcomes of Participants in Rental Assistance Programs

• Chair: Gary Dean Painter, University of Cincinnati
• Discussants: Elizabeth Tong and Arthur Acolin, University of Washington
• “Program Effects and Lessons from the Family Self-Sufficiency Program Evaluation,” Nandita Verma, MDRC
• “Economic Mobility or Safety Net? Examining Employment Outcomes of Housing Choice Voucher Recipients,” Vince Wang, University of Washington
• “Employment Access and Employment Outcomes for Movers in the Housing Choice Voucher Program,” Alex Ramiller, University of Toronto

1:45-3:15 PM
Sustaining the Evidence-Based Movement in a Time of Retrenchment: Research Partnerships with States and Nonprofits

• Moderator: John Hutchins, MDRC
• Jared Barnett, Slingshot Memphis
• John Martinez, MDRC
• Luke Minor, Washinton Student Achievement Council
• Jenni Owen, Duke University

3:30-5:00 PM
Undergraduate and Master's Student Seminar

• Moderator: Stephanie Moulton, The Ohio State University
• John Martinez, MDRC
• Elizabeth Froom Pelletier, U.S. Census Bureau
• Jeehee Han, Texas A&M University
• Bradley Hardy, Georgetown University
• Shannon Michelle Quinn, Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families

Saturday, November 15

8:30-10:00 AM
Data Sharing in A Changing Federal Landscape: Threats and Evolving Practices for Ethical Administrative Data Use

• Moderator: Adelia Jenkins, University of Pennsylvania
• Richard Hendra, MDRC
• Lori Pfingst, Washington Economic Justice Alliance
• Alastair Matheson, Public Health, Seattle & King County

10:15-11:45 AM
Housing Mobility Programs for Families with Housing Choice Vouchers: Impact Findings

• Chair: Asaph Glosser, King County Housing Authority
• Discussant: Sarah Oppenheimer, Harvard University
• “Opportunity Areas in Mobility Programs from Gautreaux to Today,” Samuel R. Dastrup, Abt Associates
• “Creating Moves to Opportunity (CMTO): Reducing Barriers to High-Opportunity Neighborhoods Through Navigator Support,” Jacqueline Groccia, Johns Hopkins University
• “Impact Findings from the Supporting Moves to Opportunity Housing Mobility Demonstration in Milwaukee and St. Louis,” by Jonathan Bigelow, MDRC
• “Early Impacts on Moves to Opportunity Areas from the Community Choice Demonstration Rapid Cycle Evaluation,” Daniel B. Gubits & Adam Silver Travis, Abt Global

1:45-3:15 pm
Financial Aid

• Chair: Patrick Lavallee Delgado, University of Pennsylvania
• Discussant: Taylor J Delaney, University of Oklahoma
• “Investing in College Readiness: Societal Benefits and Costs of the El Dorado College Promise Program,” Lu Xu, University of Washington
• “Formula Changes and College Enrollment: A Simulated Instrument Analysis of Pell Grants,” Carmello Libassi, Teachers College, Columbia University
• “Oregon Legislative Policy and Research Office: Cost Drivers in Oregon Public University Tuition and Fees,” Jesse Helligso, Legislative Policy Research Office, Oregon State Legislature
• “Improving Financial Aid Application Rates Through AI: Evidence from Washington State’s OtterBot Evaluation,” Richard Hendra, MDRC