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News from CES PEI : CES-PEI Evaluator Spotlight Series

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24 Nov
2021

Evaluator Spotlight

Dr. Alaina Roach-O’Keefe, PhD
Corporate Human Resources Planning Consultant

My background …

I am the Corporate Human Resources Planning Consultant with the Prince Edward Island Government’s Public Service Commission (PSC). I serve as an FPT (federal/ provincial/ territorial) Lead for HR, and am responsible for strategic business HR planning and reporting for the PSC  and  employee  engagement  (surveying  and  initiatives).  I am also responsible for learning and development and leadership development for all civil service employees.

My background includes a Bachelor of Science with an Honours in Psychology; a Bachelor of Education Specializing in the Early Years; a Masters in Applied Health Research; a PhD in Education, and a certificate in Change Management. I have been with provincial government for 12 years and have worked in with the Departments of Education and Lifelong Learning, Economic Growth Tourism and Culture, Health and Wellness as well as Health PEI. I also enjoy teaching and researching part time as an assistant professor at the University of Western Ontario, and a sessional lecturer at both University of New Brunswick and University of Prince Edward Island.

What drew me to evaluation…

People pay attention to evaluation because it’s used for decision making. It’s about sharing what you learn to continuously improve. It provides information that can help improve programs and services and being someone who works in the public service – this is really important! What also really drew me to evaluation is that it provides accountability to both leadership and the public; and involves people (stakeholders) in the process. I  was  drawn to evaluation because it provided me with the evidence it takes to make decisions. Furthermore, I believe that evaluation has a strong   public   service   element:  evaluation results in evidence to develop effective policies for the public.

Evaluations I have been involved with recently…

As the Corporate Human Resources Planning Consultant with the Public  Service  Commission,  I  am responsible for learning and development and leadership development for all Civil Service employees, and with that comes evaluation and monitoring for programs and workshops that are provided to employees. I collect  a  lot  of  data  from a variety of sources (surveys, interviews, annual needs assessments) that contribute to ongoing, continuous improvement. I am also responsible for our annual reporting  and  business  human  resources planning. There is a great deal of monitoring and evaluation that contributes to both  of these as well. As well, previous to  this  role,  I  have been  involved  in  many  health  evaluations that were funded by Health Canada.

What I like most about evaluation…

I was a researcher first, before I  began evaluating (and let’s be clear they are very distinct!). What I like about both research and evaluation is that there  are  systematic processes that are followed for each.  I  love  logic models and the planning process in evaluation (which should not be overlooked!). It’s like a puzzle: figuring out what all the pieces are and how they fit together to answer the question you have. I love  how  evaluation can bring such clarity to and simplicity to often complex questions. What also drew me to evaluation was the fact that it is more stakeholder focused then researcher focused. Finally, I am drawn to evaluation because it is focused on stakeholders, people and communicating what has been learned.

Ways that I think evaluation can benefit society…

The benefit of evaluation is that it is used to improve programs and services, it  helps prioritize resources  funded by public dollars, and it can also be  used to identify gaps and also effectiveness of certain programs. Again, it is focused on stakeholders  –  the  public  –  and  helps communicate how public dollars are spent. It is also a benefit to society in that it provides leaders with evidence to use in their decision making – which can build public trust (regardless of the government of the day).

My advice for a new evaluator…

My advice to a new evaluator: ask lots of questions; don’t overlook the planning process, join the CES chapter in your province, network with seasoned mentors so you can learn and ask questions, and engage in as much additional learning as you can! Try to complete university courses in evaluation and as many CES workshops as you can.

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  • About Us
    • Mission and Vision
    • Strategic Plan
    • Our Commitment to Reconciliation
    • Our History
    • Who we are
    • Our Fellowship
    • Advocacy
    • Partnerships
    • CES Awards
    • Our Policies
  • Membership
    • Why Become a CES Member
    • Member Discounts and Benefits
    • Join the CES
    • Membership Fees
    • Renew Your Membership
  • Latest News
    • Latest News
    • Upcoming National and Chapter Events
  • Designations
    • About the CE Designation
    • Competencies for Canadian Evaluators
    • Roster of Credentialed Evaluators
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    • For Candidates
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  • Professional Learning
    • e-Institute
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    • Annual Conference
    • Mentoring Initiative
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    • Issues and Articles
    • Search for an Article
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  • Resources
    • What Is Evaluation?
    • Ethics
    • Program Evaluation Standards
    • Submit an Unpublished Document
    • Jobs, Contracts, Collaborations (members only)
    • Add a Job, Contract, or Collaboration Opportunity
    • Standards to Support Classroom Assessment

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