Philosophy of Evaluation & Consulting

In the wake of increasing accountability for schools, businesses, and human service organizations, evaluation of impact is a necessity.  Diehl Consulting believes that measuring impact is something that should happen throughout the inception, development and implementation process.  In short, "Evaluation is something that happens along the way and not just at the end of the road."  This philosophy embraces the use of process and outcome evaluation strategies that use data to make decisions.  Our philosophy is grounded in two core beliefs:

Relationships are the key to bringing about individual and systemic change.  Supportive and trusting relationships promote honest, open, and meaningful dialogue for examining the efficacy of programs and services.  Diehl Consulting believes in developing relationships that foster this environment.

Quantitative and qualitative data drive decision making.  Scientific measurement of outcomes leads to informed decision making.  This involves a holistic view of program impact that blends numerical and narrative data.  Blending of approaches allows for richer understanding that, in turn, allows for examination of the impact of programs and/or services.

Profiles

Dan Diehl, Owner, has over 10 years experience in providing evaluation, consulting, professional development, and grant writing services to individuals, businesses, schools and community organizations.  Before starting Diehl Consulting, Dan worked for a school district as the Director and Evaluator of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants, where he oversaw the development, evaluation and sustainability of after-school and summer programs, as well as development of community education initiatives promoting school and community partnerships.  Prior to this work, Dan worked as a Child and Adolescent Inpatient and Outpatient Therapist providing individual, group and family therapy.  Dan has a Ph.D. in social work from the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky, along with master's degrees in applied experimental psychology from Western Kentucky University and social work from the University of Southern Indiana.  He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and School Social Worker in Indiana [ Curriculum Vitae ].

Jason Chadwell, Senior Consultant, has expertise in a variety of human resources subjects, including performance management, compensation, learning and organization development, and selection.  He has received extensive training in research and data analysis techniques, which have been consistently used to support his work in the field of HR.  With over ten years of experience, Jason has provided consultation services to government, manufacturing, and healthcare organizations and has managed many large-scale projects that involved collaboration with executive and management-level employees.  Jason has a bachelor's degree in psychology from Berea College and a master's degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Western Kentucky University.  He maintains certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR).

Amanda Vote, Research Coordinator, is responsible for coordinating the delivery of services to clients, including data entry into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), conducting research and literature reviews to support data analyses, and writing research reports.  Amanda has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Evansville (U of E).  While at U of E, Amanda received the Best Thesis Award for her study of sleep and depression, and continues to pursue research interests in the areas of mental health and child development.

Johnna Denning, Research Coordinator, is responsible for coordinating the delivery of services to clients, including data entry into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), conducting research and literature reviews to support data analyses, and writing research reports.  Johnna has a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Southern Indiana.  She has experience working for and with non-profit organizations.  Currently, she is pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Evansville.

 

Field Consultants. Diehl Consulting has formed regional and national partnerships with consultants in the field to ensure the capacity to handle all types of service delivery.  Field consultants have expertise in the areas of information technology, software development, psychometrics, and data analyses.