The Evaluation Couch

In this episode, Maria sits down with Amy Gray, Director of Evaluation and Learning, to discuss her journey through career uncertainty, imposter syndrome, and finding alignment in the evaluation field. Amy shares how she moved from feeling stuck and questioning her abilities to discovering her strengths, building confidence, and landing an exciting new role aligned with her values and goals. Learn...

What happens when a skilled evaluator realizes she knows more than she gives herself credit for? In this episode, we sit down with Hairat, a consultant and evaluator passionate about racial equity and justice, who completed The Evaluator's Edge coaching program. Hairat shares how she went from feeling stuck being too senior for junior roles, too junior for senior ones, to confidently articulating...

In this episode, Maria sits down with Doaa Abou Hussein, co-founder of Kindred Purpose Consultants, to explore what it truly means to build a business around your values. Doaa shares her journey from evaluation professional to entrepreneur, including the pivotal moment in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon that solidified her mission, why she made the bold decision to brand her company as openly...

This episode is the first one of a series celebrating International Women's Month. Maria sits with Claudia Olavarría, an evaluator from Chile with 15 years of experience in international development. Claudia shares her journey navigating a career as a mother of four, building a consultancy while balancing caregiving responsibilities, and the support networks that made it possible. Together they ex...

In the third episode of the "One Year On" series, Beeta Tahmassebi shares her journey from 25-year organizational leader to first-time entrepreneur. After leaving her role amid widespread sector upheaval and USAID's shutdown, Beeta founded Illuminate, a consulting firm and learning center built on urgency, resilience, and community. In this conversation with Maria, she reveals the realities of lau...

In the second episode of the One Year On series, the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) President Matt Sanscartier reflects on the impacts to the field of evaluation over the last twelve months. Matt discusses the differences between ideological attacks on evidence in the US versus fiscal pressures in Canada, CES's strategic response through advocacy and expanded membership outreach, and the organi...

In this episode of the "One Year On" series, Maria speaks with Karen Jackson, the 2025 President of the American Evaluation Association (AEA), about navigating one of the most disruptive years in the field of evaluation. Karen reflects on leading AEA through multiple crises while balancing roles as university faculty and consultant. She discusses the October 2025 "Morning After Coalition" call to...

Adding "learning" to a job title doesn't mean learning is actually happening. In this episode, Florence Randari breaks down what it really takes to operationalize the "L" in MEL. Florence explains why MEL systems often fail to support learning even when rebranded as "MEL," and what needs to change. Florence discusses the difference between evaluation questions and learning questions, the competenc...

In this episode, Maria shares how she fast-tracked her evaluation career in under four years without needing the typical 8-10 years of experience. She breaks down the "career growth fallacy" that holds many evaluators back and discusses six key strategies that accelerated her journey. This episode offers practical insights on how to create meaningful growth without waiting for arbitrary experience...

Do you ever wonder if your personality is "right" for leadership in evaluation? In this episode, Maria challenges the myth that only certain personality types belong in leadership roles by exploring what research says about personality and leadership, why extroverts are overrepresented in leadership positions, and how introverts can be just as effective depending on the team context. Using the D.O...

In this episode, Maria interviews Slavica Stevanovic from Qatalyst Research Group, about the integration of artificial intelligence in evaluation consulting. Slavica shares how Qatalyst's early investment into technology allowed it to adopt artificial intelligence to streamline processes and deliver client solutions. The discussion covers the implications of artificial intelligence on evaluation c...

In this episode, evaluator Cecilia Eva Beloqui shares her inspiring journey of building visibility and community through daily posting on LinkedIn. She reflects on the discipline and consistency it took to commit to sharing resources every day for a year, the challenges of creating meaningful content, and the powerful connections and collaborations that emerged as a result. Cecilia discusses how c...

In this episode, Mishkah Teladia shares her journey into a portfolio career, discussing her transition from a long-standing role in international development to exploring diverse opportunities that align with her purpose. She emphasizes the importance of self-discovery, the value of relational intelligence, and the need for flexibility in today's evolving work landscape. Mishkah also reflects on t...

In this episode, Maria Montenegro is joined by Kelsi Kriitmaa to explore the concept of portfolio careers. They discuss the evolving landscape of work, particularly in the social impact sector, and how portfolio careers can offer flexibility and diverse opportunities. Kelsi shares her personal journey from a traditional career path that started in evaluation to embracing multiple roles, including...

Live from Eval25 in Kansas City , Maria sits down with Denise Baer, Nathan Varnell, and Nina Sabarre for a dynamic conversation on the future of evaluation. Together, they explore why advocating for evaluation has never been more critical in the face of recent disruptions to the field. The guests reflect on what makes these challenges unique, highlight opportunities to strengthen the case for eval...

In this conversation, Mahesh Krishnan Ramesh shares his journey of pursuing a career in public policy and evaluation. He discusses the cultural challenges of becoming an evaluator in India, the innovative approaches he has taken in his career, and the significance of mentorship and networking. He concludes with valuable advice for emerging evaluators on advocating for evaluation in various sectors...

In this episode, Maria shares actionable strategies to help you interview with confidence and land the evaluation roles you're ready for. She breaks down the three most common types of interview questions, what interviewers are really looking for with each, and how to tailor your responses using real evaluation examples. You'll learn a simple framework to structure your answers with clarity and se...

This episode focuses on how to answer the common interview question, "Tell me about yourself." Maria explains why this question is important, outlines common mistakes evaluators make when answering this question, and introduces a simple framework for structuring your answer. The episode includes examples from three evaluators, with feedback on what worked and what could be improved. Throughout the...

This episode focuses on how evaluators can apply the principles of logic models to their own career development. Maria shares how using logic models to map our our career helps us better understand the inputs, activities, and outputs essential to achieving our career goals. The episode discusses the default logic model most people hold about how their actions lead to outcomes in their careers. She...

In this episode, Maria discusses six common myths that can hold back careers in evaluation including the belief that you need a PhD, must specialize, or need to keep collecting credentials to succeed. This episode explores where each of these myths come from, how they impact career growth and satisfaction, and why letting go of them can open up new possibilities. Through real-world examples and pr...

In this episode, Maria speaks with researcher and evaluation expert John LaVelle about their study on the imposter phenomenon among evaluators. They explore why feelings of imposterism are common among evaluators and how professional identity and community influence these experiences. The conversation highlights the unique challenges evaluators face and the strategies they use to cope with imposte...

In this episode, Paul Bakker joins The Evaluation Couch to share his insights on how a sales pipeline can support an evaluator's independent consulting business. Paul explains how he tracks different types of leads—open RFPs, vendor-of-record opportunities, and sole-source contracts—assigning the likelihood of these materializing into contracts. He shares how he has used a sales pipeline to projec...

In this episode, Allison Prieur joins Maria to discuss her experience participating in the Evaluation Capacity Case Challenge (EC3). Allison shares how she overcome her hesitation to apply to the program and how this experience has changed her evaluation practice. Maria and Allison share their reflections on applying the learnings from EC3 in their practice including the successes and challenges t...

In this episode, Maria discusses how our brains are designed to make meaning out of our experiences and our place in the world. She shares three personal stories when she held narratives that hindered her career growth. She shares how building her confidence, expanding her knowledge of the field of evaluation, and an unexpected life experience can shift these beliefs. The episode concludes with ad...

In this episode, Maria shares the importance of detaching one's identity and self-worth from job titles. She discusses how job titles are arbitrary, often don't reflect actual skills or responsibilities, and can negatively impact mental health by fostering unhealthy comparisons. She offers practical tips on how to focus on one's achievements, skills, and contributions instead of job titles, and ho...