Jason R. Williams
MS, Saint Louis University, 2000
Contact Information:
Parrington Hall, room 412
anjrw@u.washington.edu
Areas of specialization: Research Methods; Statistics; Measurement; Data Management; Poverty; Social Services; Child Welfare
Jason R. Williams started the Evans School Ph.D. in Public Policy and Management program in 2008.
In addition to his Ph.D. studies, Williams serves as a research assistant working with Evans School Associate Professor Mark Long. From 2003 to 2009 he was a research analyst for the University of Alaska Anchorage Social Work Evaluation Program. He previously served as a research specialist for the Casey Family Programs from 1999-2003.
Williams decided to pursue a Ph.D. to learn advanced statistical techniques with broad applications to policy questions. On why Williams chose the Evans School, he said, "The interdisciplinary nature of the Evans School means there are projects going covering all kinds of subjects from poverty to foster care to urban ecology to transportation. This provides a great opportunity to learn about, and perhaps, join exciting projects."
After graduation, Williams hopes to find opportunities to work with large and/or longitudinal data sets. "I love the challenge of dealing with data, from meshing data sources to cleaning to analysis to presenting data in a meaningful way," said Williams. "I want to use data to create 'Aha!' moments for policymakers, whether through indicators and community surveys or geographical representations of data or more complex causal analyses."
Williams was a recipient of the 2008 Hubert M. Blalock Fellowship from the Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences (CSSS), and is pursuing the CSSS concentration at the Evans School.
Williams holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from St. Louis University and a Bachelor of Science in human development and social policy from Northwestern University.
Curriculum Vitae (108 KB PDF)
Publications
"The Effects of Enhanced Foster Care on the Long-Term Physical and Mental Health of Foster Care Alumni" with RC Kessler, PJ Pecora, E Hiripi, K O'Brien, D English, J White, JR Zerbe, AC Downs, R Plotnick, I Hwang, and NA Sampson for the Archives in General Psychiatry: 65, 625-633; 2008
Alaska's Abuse Prevention Training Program: Final Report with SM Pope and EA Sirles for the University of Alaska Anchorage, 2007
"Educational and Employment Outcomes of Adults Formerly Placed in Foster Care: Results from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study" with PJ Pecora, RC Kessler, K O'Brien, CR White, C.R., E Hiripi, and others for the Children and Youth Services Review; 28, 1459-1481; 2006
"Enhancing the Validity of Foster Care Follow-Up Studies Through Multiple Alumni Location Strategies" with A McWilliams, T Mainieri, PJ Pecora, and K La Belle for Child Welfare, 85, 499-521; 2006
"Assessing the Educational Achievements of Adults Who Formerly Were Placed in Family Foster Care" with PJ Pecora, RC Kessler, E Hiripi, K O'Brien, J Emerson, MA Herrick, and D Torres for Child and Family Social Work, 11, 220-231; 2006
Alaska Foster Care Alumni Study (689 KB PDF) with SM Pope, EA Sirles, and EM Lally for the University of Alaska Anchorage, 2005
Alaskan Foster Youth and Independent Living Skills: An Examination of the Skills Necessary for Alaskan Youth Transitioning from Office of Children's Services Custody to Independent Living (489 KB PDF) with SM Pope, S.M., EA Sirles, and EM Lally for the University of Alaska Anchorage, 2005
Family Preservation and Support Services: A Literature Review and Report on Outcome Measures (899 KB PDF) with SM Pope, EA Sirles, and EM Lally for the University of Alaska Anchorage, 2005
Exploring the Links Between Parental Substance Abuse and Child Welfare: Increasing Understanding of the Research and Program Issues in Alaska (456 KB PDF) with SM Pope, WD Katinsky, EA Sirles, and EM Lally for the University of Alaska Anchorage, 2005