2021
Dr. Bobby Thomas Cameron, PhD, CE
Director, Strategic Policy and Evaluation
My background …
I have a PhD in Policy Studies, an MA in Public Policy and Administration and a BA in History. I am also a Credentialed Evaluator. I am currently Director for a division responsible for evaluation and performance monitoring. My work experience has been with the Provincial Government, Federal Government, the Not- for-Profit sector, research centres and universities.
In my policy degrees we learned a lot about the policy development process and how evaluation is a key stage. I have also completed several courses through the CES which I found really helpful as they were tailored for the needs of practitioners.
What drew me to evaluation…
When I think back to my professional and educational experience, I was always interested in the effectiveness of organizations, initiatives and the impacts that policies had on society. So, in one way, I think I always used evaluative thinking to understand the world. More recently, I think I have come to realize how interesting evaluation can be, and how much it can help to change things for the better.
Evaluations I have been involved with recently…
Most recently, I led an evaluation assessment of the Department of Agriculture and Land’s Mental Health Promotion Policy. This evaluation relied on key informant interviews and document files and it focused on understanding the performance, relevance and impact of the policy. This was an interesting evaluation, as it was really geared to determining the extent strategic outcomes were achieved. Several of the recommendations from this evaluation are currently being implemented by the Department.
What I like most about evaluation…
I think that the discovery part of evaluation is what is most interesting to me. I like that, with an evaluation, you’re able to complete deep dives into initiatives to see how they may have impacted people, organizations and society-at-large. I also really like bringing people together during evaluations, as it is an opportunity to build community.
Ways that I think evaluation can benefit society…
Evaluation has an important accountability and learning function in society. The results of evaluations tell society how well and to what extent an intervention performed. Evaluations also allow society to learn how interventions impact people and organizations.
My advice for a new evaluator…
Completing ongoing evaluation training is important. There are a broad range of theories, methodologies and methods that evaluators can choose from. This can seem really overwhelming at first, but by creating your own evaluation learning and development plan you can work to fill gaps in your knowledge. This will really help you to become comfortable with completing evaluations. Also, it is important to try and find a mentor who you can go to for questions and advice on evaluations.