When Achieve Hartford! hired new Program Manager Chris Marcelli, we knew we were getting an evaluator and data specialist with experience in making sound recommendations.  What we also found is that he is a stickler for accurate information – with a bias against bias – and both a team player and builder.

In fact, as Chris was wrapping up his Master’s in Public Administration from UConn last year, he was part of a team working with the State Department of Children and Families to recommend alternative resource allocation strategies to increase foster family recruitment and retention.  Later, as a research analyst at Goodwin College, his activities included assessments of co-curricular units as well as financial analyses and projections for new academic programs.

At Achieve Hartford!, his work includes facilitating a number of coalitions, including the “All In!” coalition, which is a growing collaboration to gather and interpret data and then tweak practices at both K-12 and higher education levels to improve Hartford students’ degree completion rates and placement into high-demand occupations in Hartford.

In addition to managing a number of large projects, Program Manager Marcelli is the central contributor to the SMARTERHartford data portal, which provides windows into a number of aspects of school and student performance.

“What I bring to the table is that ability to step back and take a broader view,” Program Manager Marcelli said.  “I feel very strongly about transparency and the appropriate use of evidence without bias.  Numbers aren’t biased – people are biased,” he remarked.

“At Achieve Hartford!, the program manager post demands great versatility,” Executive Director Paul Holzer said.  “Chris will help develop, coordinate, and evaluate our programs and partnerships by managing coalitions, staffing workgroups, writing reports, tracking indicators, creating tools, and working with consultants.  We have a small staff, and Chris is just the kind of high-powered professional we need to complement our team.”