Working with Evaluators

Navigating New Worlds

Hello, California tobacco prevention community!

I’m thrilled to introduce myself as the newest member of the TCEC team. My name is Hyewon Park, and I bring a Ph.D. in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education, along with a heart full of stories and a passion for supporting those who need it most. 

Evaluation Through Fresh Eyes

I’m sure we’re all familiar with the treasure trove of tools and resources on the TCEC website, but in case the “Our Team” page isn’t one you check up on often, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sophia Strohmeier-Breuning, and I’m one of TCEC’s new Evaluation Associates! 

AI in Evaluation: Where Do You Stand?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a new concept; if you’ve ever used a program that checks your spelling and grammar, you’ve used a form of AI! However, the release of products like ChatGPT has kicked off a boom in AI technology, and it is growing more sophisticated every day. 

So how does this AI boom affect our work in tobacco control evaluation? I took a deep dive into the topic to find out!

The Evaluators are Listening...

What's the point of giving feedback, anyway? Will my comments actually change anything? 

If you've interacted with the Tobacco Control Evaluation Center at any point, you've undoubtedly received requests for feedback— whether on a training, a webinar, or how satisfied you were with our technical assistance.

Your Evaluation Didn't Go as Planned— Now What?

We all have our workplans, and in an ideal world, we would complete all activities by the assigned due date without incident. However, we are all painfully aware that we do not live in a perfect world, and oftentimes things do not go according to plan. What do we do then? In this article, we explore some real-life situations in which things did not go according to plan and how some evaluators have handled it.

2022: Acknowledging Our Partners in Tobacco Control

While out on a walk after Thanksgiving, I was having a conversation with a friend. As we walked along, crunching the leaves and fallen acorns, we began talking about what we were thankful for. Our conversation touched on something subtle and perhaps overlooked; we talked about acknowledging and thanking those around us. 

Tobacco Control Evaluation in California: What You Need to Get Started

Entering the world of California tobacco control evaluation can be overwhelming. Due to decades of hard work, the world of California tobacco control is a vast network of collaborators and partners, with its own set of rules, acronyms and requirements.

But we have good news: Because of this well-established infrastructure, a new evaluator has a plethora of resources and support at their fingertips!

Evaluators: What to Know when Working with New Grantees

Like any new relationship, when an external evaluator takes on a new project, there will be an adjustment period as everyone gets to know each other. This may be especially true if the project is new to CTCP-funded work. Below are some considerations to consider to foster a successful partnership with them.

If possible, the evaluator and newly funded project should build more time into the contract for meetings with project staff. This may include meetings with project staff and their CTCP Project Coordinator (PC). There are multiple reasons why this is important: