Research Consortium Members
Grace Bagwell Adams, PhD, MPA
Quantitative Lead
Associate Professor
UGA College of Public Health
Katherine Rose Adams, PhD
Associate Professor
The University of North Georgia, College of Education – Social Foundations & Leadership Education
Daniel Gibbs, PhD, JD
Assistant Professor
UGA School of Social Work
David Meyers, EdD
Senior Public Service Associate
UGA Public Service and Outreach, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
Erik C. Ness, PhD
Professor, Director of the McBee Institute
UGA Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education
Amy Salazar, PhD, LMSW
Associate Professor
Washington State University Vancouver,
College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
Kim Skobba, PhD
Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor
UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Lori Tiller, PhD
Qualitative Lead
Director, MA Nonprofit Management &
Leadership & Associate Director, Institute for Nonprofit Organizations
UGA School of Social Work
Graduate Students:
Imani Callan, PhD student
UGA Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education
The Embark Georgia Research Consortium builds structured research and evaluation infrastructure at the intersection of higher education and foster care experience, translating findings into actionable guidance for campuses, child welfare agencies, and policymakers.
Research focuses on four key areas:
Here is what I would offer for the 4 areas:
1. Pre-Collegiate and Transition-to-College Programming — Summer programs, K-12 to higher ed handoffs, workforce development opportunities
2. Postsecondary Access and Financial Support — ETV, Statewide Payee Convening, 2-year college pathways, longitudinal outcomes for students
3. Campus Climate and Student Experience — Belonging, stopping out, peer mentoring, campus capacity building
4. Network Infrastructure and Statewide Systems Alignment — Regional coalitions, DPOC leadership development, statewide conference, and landscape analysis
Research Highlights:
- 7 peer-reviewed articles since 2023
- Presentations at 6 national and multiple state conferences
- Guest editors of the Child Welfare (CWLA) special issue, Spring/Summer 2026
- Longitudinal dataset covering approximately 6,000 Georgia youth
- Data-receiving agreement with Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Explore related research and publications highlighting collaborative work on foster care, homelessness, and higher education.
