2011 EEN Forum

2011 EEN Forum

Explore the happenings of the 2011 US Forum with the materials below! Use the web-based agenda to check out session notes, presentations, abstracts, videos and post your comments.

Melvin Mark Professor and Head of Psychology at Penn State University, former President of the American Evaluation Association, and former editor of The American Journal of Evaluation
Shelley H. Metzenbaum Associate Director for Performance and Personnel Management of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget
Jonny Morell Director of Evaluation at Fulcrum Corporation and author of the new book “Evaluation in the Face of Uncertainty”
Steve Adams Managing Director of the Climate Leadership Initiative at the Resource Innovations Group
Michael L. Goo Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy at the Environmental Protection Agency
Paul Ferraro Professor of Economics, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University; Center for Evidence Based Environmental Policies and Programs
Margaret Davidson Director of the Coastal Services Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Registration is now closed for this year’s forum. If you are not able to attend, we will be posting materials from all presentations after the forum. Check back in the next couple weeks to download those materials. For those of you who have registered already, we look forward to seeing you!

8:30am-4pm Measurement & Evaluation 101
Program evaluation can help managers and staff identify areas of their programs that need improvement, and whether the program or project is achieving its goals and objects and why. In addition, evaluation results can help managers and staff learn about what aspects of a program worked or did not work; target aspects of programs for improvement;and improve the quality of the program. Through a combination of class instruction and hands-on exercises, workshop participants will learn the basic steps and essential tools needed to conduct an evaluation of their project or program, including understanding the logic of the program, asking the right evaluation questions, identifying information needs, developing performance measures, and identifying the appropriate data collection methods, and reporting results. After completing this course, participants will have: 1) a better understanding of the different types of evaluations; 2) a step-by-step approach/framework for conducting an evaluation; and 3) tips on how to manage the evaluation.
9am-5pm Adaptive Management – Tools for Planning and Monitoring Your Environmental Conservation Project
Participants applied innovative planning skills and tools used by leading conservation organizations in the management of their projects. The Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP), a consortium of numerous conservation organizations, serves as a leader in identifying better ways to design, manage, and measure conservation projects. Their Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation and Miradi Adaptive Management (AM) software provide a clear framework, tools, and guidance for applying AM. Attendees had the opportunity to build their own capacity to do good AM. Facilitators introduced concepts behind AM using hands-on exercises to apply key AM tools.


7:45 am Sign-In and Registration (3rd Floor Lobby)
Networking Meet and Greet
Continental Breakfast (Rm 302)
8:30 am Welcome: Overview of 2011 Forum(Grand Ballroom)Kathryn Newcomer, The George Washington University, Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration;
Matt Keene, EPA
9:00 am Keynote Addresses (Grand Ballroom)Michael L. Goo, EPA; Shelley Metzenbaum, U.S. Office of Management and Budget; Melvin Mark, Penn State University
10:00 am The EEN Morning Show – Navigating Complexity in Our Work (Grand Ballroom)
11:00 am Break and Refreshments (Rm 302)
11:15 am Networking Session: Speedy Introductions and a Stroll About (Grand Ballroom)
12:00 pm Lunch (Rm 302)
Networking (Grand Ballroom / Terrace)
Causal Loops and Concept Models: From Complexity to Clarity (Optional) (Rm 310)Jeff Wasbes, University at Albany
1:15 pm Concurrent Sessions
1.1: Measuring the Effectiveness of State Wildlife Grants: Developing a Performance Measures System for State and Federal Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Rm 403)
Mark Humpert, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies;
Nick Salafsky, Foundations of Success
1.2: Embedding Evaluation and Learning Into Organizations
(Rm 307)
Lessons Learned Evaluating an Environmental Think Tank/Advocacy Organization (Johanna Morariu, Innovation Network, Inc.)Cohorts, Control Sites, and Conservation Effectiveness: Navigating Complexity with Repeatability (Amielle DeWan, Rare Conservation)
1.3: Evaluation Frameworks That Take Program Diversity Head On (Rm 308)
An Evaluation Framework for Policy Learning and Transfer: Extended Producer Responsibility Programs (Panate Manomaivibool, IIIEE at Lund University)Beyond Carrots and Sticks: A Burgeoning Evaluation Approach to Address Conservation’s Complexity (Jensen Montambault, The Nature Conservancy)
1.4: What’s Complexity Got to Do With It? (Rm 405)
Evaluation in the Face of Uncertainty: Maximizing Methodological Choice when Unpredictable Outcomes are Likely (Jonny Morell, Fulcrum Corporation)Is Evaluation in Resource, Environmental and Conservation Settings Complex? (Andy Rowe, ARCeconomics)
1.5: The Shape of Targeted Runoff Management: Network Structure as a Program Evaluation Tool (Rm 310)
Robert A. Smail, University of Wisconsin
2:15 pm Break and Refreshments (Rm 302)
2:45 pm Concurrent Sessions
2.1: Confusion, Suspicion, and Shattered Dreams: An Evaluation Play in Three Acts(Rm 403)Annelise Carleton-Hug (Trillium Associates)
2.2: NASA Applied Sciences Program & Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP): “Help! – Where Do We Start With Evaluating Our Projects?” (Rm 310)Carol Meyer, Earth Science Information Partners; Ana Prados, NASA;
Lawrence Friedl, NASA
2.3: From Brownfields to Rangelands: Assessing and Attributing Impact(Rm 308)Impact Evaluation of the Brownfields Grants Program
(Kevin Haninger, EPA)Evaluating the Effectiveness of Community Conservation in Northern Kenya (Louise Glew, World Wildlife Fund)
2.4: Where’s the Room for Improvement for M&E in Conservation?(Rm 307)Version 3.0: Updating the Conservation Measures Partnership Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (Richard Margoluis, Foundations of Success)Building a Framework of Approaches to Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in Conservation (Michelle Thieme, World Wildlife Fund; Andy Rowe, ARCeconomics)
2.5: Complex Systems and Their Evaluations: Navigation Tools for Evaluating the Oregon Paint Recycling Program (Rm 405)Lou Nadeau, Eastern Research Group, Inc.; Lauren Jankovic, Eastern Research Group, Inc.; Chris Metzner, Freelance Graphic Designer; Hedrick Strickland, Duke University; Matt Keene, EPA
3:45 pm Break and Refreshments (Rm 302)
4:00 pm Concurrent Sessions
3.1: Evaluating Land Use Initiatives (Rm 403)Evaluating Ecologic, Temporal, Demographic, and Equity Complexities of Land Use and Growth Management Policies in King County, Washington (Juan Paulo Ramirez, GIS and Human Dimensions, LLC)Evaluation and GIS through Focal Area Management (Alexandra Ritchie, Bureau of Land Management; Thomas Bartholomew, Bureau of Land Management)
3.2: Demonstrating Impact in Environmental Evaluation
(Rm 405)Terell Lasane, EPA, Moderator; Angela Helman, Industrial Economics Inc.; Tracy Dyke-Redmond, Industrial Economics, Inc.;
Cynthia Manson, Industrial Economics, Inc.; Andy Rowe, ARCeconomics
3.3: Can Feds Kiss? Creating a Simple and Smart Strategic Execution and Evaluation “System” Despite Complex Mandates and RequirementsElizabeth Davenport, NOAA;
Thanh Vo Dinh, NOAA
3.4: Dashboards & Scorecards: Simple Ways to Improve Communication and Align Effort and Impact…Right?(Rm 308)Deconstructing “Dashboards”: Do They Work? (Richard Margoluis, Foundations of Success)Creating Alignment and Simplifying Decisions through the Balanced
Scorecard (BSC) (Method Daniel Hayden, Rare Conservation)
3.5: Discussion of Evaluation of Urban Ecological Restoration Projects(Rm 307)Arlene Hopkins, Arlene Hopkins & Associates
3.6: The Secret to Programs that Work: New tools for program design and evaluation(Rm 411)John Griffith, Center for American Progress
5:00 pm Catered Reception
The Terrace, The Marvin Center, The George Washington University


7:45 am Sign-In and Registration (3rd Floor Lobby)
Networking Meet and Greet
Continental Breakfast (Rm 302)
8:45 am Welcome and Introduction(Grand Ballroom)Christina Kakayannis, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
9:00 am Climage Change and Adaptation(Grand Ballroom)Featured Speaker
9:45 am The EEN Morning Show – Complexity Personified: Climate Change, Adaptation and a Future of Continuous Improvement (Grand Ballroom)
10:45 am Break and Refreshments (Rm 302)
11:00 am Concurrent Sessions and Roundtable Discussions
4.1: Measuring & Evaluating Climate Change Adaptation: Diversity, Uncertainty, and Evolution(Rm 403)Scott Bowles, EPA; Steve Adams, Climate Leadership Initiative – The Resource Innovation Group; Britta Johnson, EPA
4.2: Methods for Navigating Wicked Terrain(Rm 402/404)Drilling Down on the Impacts of Hydrofracking: Using Mind Mapping Software to Navigate a Wicked Problem (Edward Wilson, The Headwaters Group Philanthropic Services)Response to Ecosystem Change: Using a Complexity Lens
(Glenn Page, SustainaMetrix)
4.3: Conservation Investments: Analyses of Returns, Adaptation and Effectiveness(Rm 413/414)Evaluating the Effectiveness and Adaptability of Conservation Easements in Dynamic Landscapes (Adena Rissman, University of Wisconsin – Madison)Can We Evaluate Conservation Projects’ “Return on Investment”? (James Boyd, Resources for the Future)
4.4: Energy Efficiency Evaluation: Examples of Balancing Quality and Quickness in a Regulated Environment(Rm 405)Kara Crohn, Research Into Action;
Ellen Steiner, Energy Market Innovations, Inc.
4.5: Process Complexity and Evaluation Utility(Grand Ballroom)Andrew Johnson, William Penn Foundation; Helen Davis Picher, William Penn Foundation; Peter Szabo, Bloomingdale Management Advisors
4.6: Roundtable Discussion: Addressing the Complexity of Integrated Flood Risk Management(Rm 411)Lieven De Smet, HIVA, K.U. Leuven
12:00 pm Lunch (Rm 302)
Networking (Grand Ballroom / Terrace)
The Chesapeake Bay Partnership’s Experience with Evaluation, Adaptive Management, and Accountability(Optional) (Rm 403)Michael Mason, EPA
1:15 pm The Evaluators’ Café: A Networking and Capacity Building Session
1. Complex Situations and Competing Priorities? A 20 minute Brainstorm on Resolutions (Kara Crohn, Research Into Action; Ellen Steiner, Energy Market Innovations, Inc.)
2. Center for Evidence-Based Environmental Policies and Programs (CEEP) (Paul Ferraro, Georgia State University – CEEP)
3. Net-Mapping (Noora Aberman, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research)
4. The Checklist: Simplifying the Complex (Daniel Hayden, Rare Conservation)
5. Using Measures to Improve Program Results at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of International Conservation (Megan Hill, Fish and Wildlife Service; Matt Muir, Fish and Wildlife Service)
6. Developing the EEN Website: What can we make it do for you? (Chris Metzner, Freelance Graphic Designer)
7. Polishing the Rosetta Stone: Can We Create a Common Lexicon? (Paul Kocak, Kocak Wordsmiths Ink)
8. Help Wanted – Cute, Cuddly and a Great Communicator (Ariela Rosenstein, Rare Conservation; Kevin Green, Rare Conservation)
9. Building the Capacity of Tomorrow’s Leaders – University Courses in Adaptive Management (Vinaya Swaminathan, Foundations of Success)
10. The Evaluators’ Institute: Building and Supporting Quality in Evaluation Practice (Ann Doucette, The Evaluator’ Institute, The George Washington University; Michelle Baron, The Evaluators’ Institute)
11. Toolkit for Evaluating Impacts of Public Participation in Scientific Research (Tina Phillips, Cornell University)
12. GEF and Climate Eval Initiative: Sharing Evaluation Best Practice in Climate Change and Development (Kseniya Temnenko and Andrew Zubiri)
13. Environmental Education in the Arab World (Khulood Tubaishat, ArabEnv)
14. The ICR White Paper: Proposed Options for Demonstrating Program Rigor and Streamlining the ICR Process (Angela Helman, Industrial Economics Incorporated)
15. Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP) Results Based Management (RBM) Community of Practice Working Session (Richard Margoluis, Foundations of Success)
16. Architecture of Environmental Evaluation (Kim Damm, Brown University)
17. EPA Evaluation Interns: What We’re Doing and How You Can Help (Katelyn Cummings, Carnegie Mellon University; Laura Rothlisberger, Brigham Young University)
18. Let’s Get Interactive!… EPA’s Brand Spankin’ New Online Logic Model Training (Yvonne Watson, EPA)
19. NEON’s and the emerging Environmental Information Commons (Brian Wee, NEON)
20. Behavior Change in the Chesapeake Bay (Meghan Kelly & Grad Students, Uni. of Michigan)
The following Café tables are available for you to stop by to peruse the items on display and pick up the creators’ contact information so you can follow up with them later.
21. Introduction to Systematic Review (Materials provided by Jacqui Eales and Andrew Pullin, Center for Evidence-Based Conservation)
22. NEWS NEWS NEWS: New Reports, Articles and Books (Materials provided by participants of the Environmental Evaluators Network)
3:15 pm Break and Refreshments (Rm 302)
3:30 pm The EEN Afternoon Show – Managing the Chesapeake Bay and its Complexity: A Study in Evaluation, Adaptive Management and Accountability(Grand Ballroom)Katherine Dawes, EPA (Host); Carin Bisland, EPA; Nikki Tinsley, Mosley and Associates; Paul Ferraro, Georgia State University – CEEP; Carl Hershner, College of William and Mary
4:30 pm Adjourn and Celebrate!

• Download the 2011 EEN Forum Agenda PDF
• Download the 2011 EEN Forum Participant Biographies PDF
• 2011 EEN Advisory Group
• More information about the Forum

7 Comments

  1. 18 June 11, 3:50am

    […] Hot Tip – Environmental Evaluators Network Forum: Navigating Complexity: The EEN conference focusing on environmental evaluation is coming up this week in Washington, DC. It’s free to attend (but you must pre-register), has nationally and internationally known speakers, and sessions that explore both evaluation fundamentals and applications in the environmental sector. They’ll be uploading materials post-event for those who can’t be there in person. http://www.environmentalevaluators.net/2011-een-forum-agenda/ […]

  2. 08 June 11, 3:56pm

    The forum agenda looks impressive, and exciting! What a fantastic program.

    Sigh, for those environmental evaluators located so far away it is somewhat disappointing not to be able to attend! I am posting this comment from Melbourne, Australia and writing to inquire whether papers from these sessions will be available after the event, if any sessions will be filmed, or if scribes will be present?

    It would seem like a fantastic opportunity to capture learnings and share them with counterparts in the southern hemisphere. My colleagues and I often talk about the usefulness of cultural comparison and exchange – perhaps this is an opportunity to begin discussions?

    I will follow the site closely for updates. Have a wonderful forum in late June,

    • 08 June 11, 4:14pm

      Hello Lydia! Thank you for your inquiry. Yes, we will be posting all forum related materials here on the website. You will be able to download all of the files, or only the ones you are interested in reading. They will probably be available within a week or two after the event. In response to the last part of your comment, there will be a list of participants and presenters, including their roles in environmental evaluation and contact info. We look forward to joining your discussions!

      • 20 June 11, 10:21pm

        Thank you EE! Great news.

        And hello Kim. Have fun at the forum!

    • Kim Norris
      17 June 11, 12:32pm

      Hi, Lydia! Funny, i often find myself wishing I could be at some of the great events put on in Australia, since I am a systems ecologist!

      I agree that we’re lucky to have this one here in the U.S., though!

      Hi, Matt and other EEN coordinators – I am excited about the forum this week, and feel very fortunate to attend the forum. What a great set of sessions you have organized! Thanks SOOO much!

  3. 13 May 11, 3:47pm

    […] signed up for the 2011 Environmental Evaluators Network Forum on June 23 to 24, 2011 with the theme “Navigating Complexity”. It will be held in […]

  4. 20 April 11, 5:07pm

    […] Call for Participation: 2011 Environmental Evaluators Network Forum, June 23rd & 24th, 2011, Geo… […]

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