Evaluation and Learning

Noemi Avalos (she/her/ella) manages external evaluations and supports with internal evaluation of diverse programs, including programs focused on health equity and healthy youth development. Previously, she served four years as an Evaluation Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Her areas of interest include evaluation capacity building, contribution analysis/outcome harvesting, qualitative methods, data visualization and culturally responsive evaluation. She has a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior from UC Davis, and a Master of Public Health from Loma Linda University. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, taking care of house plants and spending time with loved ones.

Danae serves as the Senior Administrative Assistant to the Interim Communications Director and the Managing Director of Evaluation and Learning. She holds an Apostolic Foundations Certificate from Wilson University and an Associate Degree in General Studies from Tarrant County College. She is currently studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in creative writing from California State University at Sacramento. Prior to joining The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, she worked as an intelligence analyst and private investigator providing non-financial due diligence background investigations for hedge fund, private equity, and venture capital firms as well as individual subjects. She was awarded the Trenton Bass Hope Corps Scholarship and the Tarrant County College Foundations Scholarship for her writing and has published a short story and two poems in Roots and Reflections Magazine. Danae loves spending time near the ocean, singing in her church’s choir, and spending time with her friends and family.

Antony serves as an Evaluation Officer and his work focuses on providing actionable information to support strategic decision-making. With prior experience at the Education Commission of the States, he is adept at designing and implementing measurement tools and frameworks. Antony is dedicated to driving social change through data and evaluation, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and equity. His diverse background includes professional experience in banking and academic credentials, including a Ph.D. in Evaluation Studies and a Master’s in International Development from the University of Minnesota.

Maurice Samuels, PhD, (he/him) is responsible for ensuring that all work of the Evaluation and Learning Department is carried out in alignment with the mission, vision and core values of Sierra Health Foundation and The Center. Prior to joining Sierra Health Foundation, Maurice was a Senior Evaluation Officer at the MacArthur Foundation, where he contributed to the use of measurement, evaluation and learning to support informed decision making by the foundation’s staff and board of directors. He currently serves on the American Evaluation Association Board of Directors. Maurice earned his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with an emphasis on research and evaluation methods. He attended Xavier University of Louisiana, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science and a Masters of Art. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and competing in triathlons.