Let's Work Together
How I work
Every engagement starts with a conversation. Sometimes organizations come to me with a clearly defined project and a specific scope of work — and we move directly into implementation. Other times the need is less defined: something isn’t working, a new program is being planned, or a strategy needs rethinking from the ground up. In those cases we work together to define the problem and design an approach before any formal work begins.
I work on a project basis, typically over a minimum of six months — because meaningful change takes time to design, implement, and assess. Some engagements have extended over multiple years as organizations build capacity and deepen their practice.
If you’re not sure where to start, that’s fine. Get in touch and we’ll figure it out together.
Research
I design and conduct both qualitative and quantitative research across the full program cycle — from formative research and baseline studies through assessments of individual, social, and environmental drivers of behavior, to endline evaluation and impact assessment. My methodological approach is participatory and community-centered — which means not only drawing on methods including focus group discussions, key informant interviews, observation, and survey-based inquiry, but actively involving community members in data collection and analysis and ensuring that findings are shared back with the communities that generated them. I analyze data using both statistical tools (Stata) and qualitative analysis software (Atlas.ti), and I present findings in ways that are accessible and actionable for program staff, not just researchers.
Strategy Development
Research findings are only useful if they lead somewhere. I work with organizations to translate what they learn about their communities into communication strategies that are grounded in behavioral science, responsive to social context, and realistic to implement. This includes developing theories of change, identifying key behavioral and social drivers, designing intervention approaches, and building the strategic logic that connects evidence to action. The result is a strategy that your team understands, believes in, and can actually execute.
Capacity Building
The most effective programs are run by people who understand why they work. I help organizations build internal expertise in social and behavior change through training, workshop facilitation, curriculum development, and hands-on strategy development. My approach is rooted in participatory and transformative education — the belief that adults learn best when the learning is grounded in their own experience and connected to real problems they are trying to solve. I don’t lecture; I work alongside your team so that the learning is embedded in real decisions. The goal is always the same: that your organization is more capable at the end of an engagement than it was at the beginning, regardless of whether we work together again.
Who I Work With
My clients come from a range of sectors and with a range of needs. You might be a good fit if:
You’re a foundation or public health agency that funds behavior change programs and wants to ensure your grantees are working from a solid evidence base and a coherent strategy — not just awareness campaigns.
You’re a nonprofit or community organization that knows what change you want to see but isn’t sure how to design a program that will actually get there.
You’re a domestic or international NGO that needs research, strategy, or training support for a specific project — and you need someone who can work across cultural contexts and communicate findings clearly to multiple audiences.
You’re a company or organization navigating internal culture change — whether around health, equity, safety, or organizational behavior — and you want an approach grounded in how people actually change, not just how we wish they would.
You’re not sure exactly what you need, but something isn’t working and you want a thought partner who can help you figure out why.
In all of these cases, my role is to work alongside your team — not above it. I bring an outside perspective and specialized expertise, but the people closest to the community always know things I don’t. The best engagements combine both.
Get InTouch
If any of this sounds like what you’re looking for, I’d love to hear from you. The best way to reach me is by email at carlson800@gmail.com. I typically respond within 48 hours and am happy to schedule a call to talk through your needs.