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Session Title: Starting and Succeeding as an Independent Consultant
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Panel Session 853 to be held in California C on Saturday, Nov 5, 9:50 AM to 11:20 AM
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Sponsored by the Independent Consulting TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Jennifer Williams, Out of the Crossfire Inc, jenniferwilliams.722@gmail.com
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| Abstract:
Independent Consultants will share their professional insights on starting and maintaining an Independent Evaluation Consulting business. Panelists will describe ways of building and maintaining client relationships and share their expertise related to initial business set-up and lessons they have learned. Discussions will include the pros and cons of having an independent consulting business, the various types of business structures, methods of contracting and fee setting, as well as the personal decisions that impact having your own business. Panelists will examine some consequences of evaluation in the context of conducting independent consulting in diverse settings. The session will include ample time for audience members to pose specific questions to the panelists.
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Moving (and Shaking): From Employee to Consultant
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| Jennifer Williams, Out of the Crossfire Inc, jenniferwilliams.722@gmail.com
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Dr. Jennifer E. Williams is President and Lead Consultant of J. E. Williams and Associates, an adjunct professor, licensed counselor, and Independent Consultant. She has extensive experience conducting education, social and market research and program evaluation. She will share her experience of moving from being an employee to a consultant and the impact it has had on her both personally and professionally.
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Getting Started: What Questions Do I Need to Ask and Answer?
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| Judah Viola, National-Louis University, judah.viola@nl.edu
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Dr. Judah J. Viola is an assistant professor of community psychology at National-Louis University in Chicago. He has been working part-time as an independent evaluation consultant for the past seven years while maintaining his ties to academia. He consults with a variety of school systems, museums, and small non-profits in the mid-west. His (2009) wrote the book, "Consulting and evaluation with community based organizations: Tools and strategies to start & build a practice". His presentation will focus on what questions new consultants need to ask and answer for themselves before they start their businesses.
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Traveling and Working: International Evaluation Consulting - One Woman's Perspective
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| Tristi Nichols, Manitou Inc, tnichols@manitouinc.com
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Dr. Tristi Nichols is a program evaluator and owner of a sole proprietorship consulting business. Her work focuses primarily on international issues, which provides a unique lens through which to view independent consulting. Her reflections about consulting, international travel, the types of decisions she makes, and their impacts on her professionally and personally as a wife and mother will be of interest to novice, veteran, or aspiring independent consultants.
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Reflections from 30 Years of Evaluation Experience
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| Maryann Scheirer, Scheirer Consulting, maryann@scheirerconsulting.org
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Dr. Mary Ann Scheirer has been an evaluator for three decades, working in a variety of settings including higher education, government agencies, large consulting firms, and now, independent consulting. Her presentation will focus on how and why she moved into independent consulting and lessons learned from this move. She will provide a contrasting perspective as her move came after many years of service in multiple organizations.
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Setting Yourself Apart
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| Amy A Germuth, EvalWorks LLC, amygermuth@evalworks.com
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Dr. Amy Germuth has started two successful evaluation firms and is currently president of EvalWorks, LLC. She focuses primarily on STEM education research and evaluates local, state, and national programs. She will present a Prezi that discusses critical points related to starting one's own business and things to consider to make it successful. Critically she will point to the need for marketing, consulting, and business skills as part of a successful evaluation consultancy.
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