Hey, I’m Matt.

I help organizations learn, grow, and lead better through research, program evaluation, and leadership development.

Work with Me

  • 15+ Publications

    Publications include peer-reviewed journal articles and federally published reports

  • Proven Research

    Applied Research Strategist

    Led research studies for Gradient Learning and federal agencies including the Department of ED, CDC, SBA and the NEA

  • Experienced Leadership Facilitator

    Over a decade of experience in leadership development and facilitating professional learning

Services

I partner with mission-driven organizations to answer high-stakes questions and turn insight into action. My services span human-centered research, mixed-methods program evaluation, leadership coaching and professional learning. So whether you need to understand stakeholder needs, assess what’s working in implementation, or support leaders through change, the work stays practical, rigorous, and focused on measurable improvements in practice.

  • Human-centered research that leads to clear decisions and practical next steps.

    I design and conduct studies that help teams understand user needs, implementation realities, and stakeholder experiences. Then I translate findings into actionable recommendations, working in close consultation with my clients at all stages of the project.

    What this can include

    • Study design and research planning

    • Interviews, focus groups, listening sessions, observations

    • Survey design and analysis

    • Synthesis (thematic analysis, journey mapping, problem framing)

    • Reporting and facilitated readouts for leadership and teams

    Common outcomes

    • Clear, prioritized insights

    • Practical recommendations

    • Stakeholder alignment on what to do next

  • Mixed-methods evaluation that answers “what’s working,” “for whom,” and “why.”

    I partner with organizations to design evaluations that are rigorous and realistic, capturing what’s happening on the ground and producing results that people can actually use.

    What this can include

    • Logic models/theory of change and evaluation plans

    • Instrument development (interview guides, surveys, protocols)

    • Implementation and outcomes evaluation

    • Data collection management and analysis (qual + quant)

    • Actionable reporting (executive summaries, briefs, slide decks)

    Common outcomes

    • Evidence you can act on

    • A clear story of implementation + impact

    • Recommendations that improve delivery and results

  • Coaching and facilitation that helps leaders move from insight to sustained change. I design and lead professional learning and coaching that supports implementation, reduces isolation, and builds the routines teams need to make improvement stick.

    What this can include

    • Design and facilitation of workshops and learning sessions

    • Leadership coaching (1:1 or teams) focused on change management

    • Continuous improvement cycles and data-informed planning

    • Tools and resources leaders can use immediately (protocols, templates)

    Common outcomes

    • Stronger leadership routines and decision-making

    • Greater alignment and follow-through

    • Clear plans and next steps that drive practice change

How I Work

Clarify the Question

Define what truly needs to be decided, improved, or unlocked so we’re solving the right problem from the start.

Design the Work

Align on the right methods, timeline, and deliverables to ensure focus, efficiency, and measurable outcomes.

Collect and Synthesize

Gather the right inputs with rigor and transparency, then distill them into clear, meaningful insights.

Turn Insights into Action

Translate findings into practical recommendations, facilitate alignment, and draft the next steps your team can confidently execute.

Engagement Options

Project Based

A clearly scoped engagement built around a defined study, evaluation initiative, or workshop series, with specific objectives, deliverables, and outcomes.

Retainer / Ongoing Partnership

Ongoing monthly partnership providing research, analysis, strategic coaching, and advisory support, offering consistent momentum and embedded expertise as needs evolve.

Remote, In-Person or Hybrid

I love to travel to clients but am also comfortable working remotely. We’ll set up the workflow that’s best for your team.

CDC K-6 Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Best Practices Study Redesign

Redesigned a stalled national study to reduce participant burden and political risk, securing 9 districts across 9 states while preserving rigor through leader interviews, non-intrusive observations, and artifact review.

Read the Case Study

Case Studies

Post-Pandemic Impact and Feedback Research Program

Built an annual UX measurement and storytelling system (1,000+ teacher responses/year plus leader feedback and case studies) to guide product priorities, implementation strategy, and renewal conversations when traditional outcome metrics weren’t available.

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Instructional Rounds Observation Tool

Used observations and interviews to translate an ambiguous instructional model into a practical decision-support tool that aligned leader walkthroughs and improved the consistency of teacher feedback at scale.

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Multi-Site Case Studies + Infographics for Practical Adoption

Led multi-site qualitative research across 9 locations (50+ interviews) and transformed findings into publishable, scannable case studies and infographics to share implementation best practices and challenges with the field.

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NEA HBCU Asset Map Co-Design

NEA HBCU Arts Workforce Case Studies and Asset Map Co-Design Excerpt: Led three HBCU case studies and co-designed a reusable asset map format through client workshops, turning complex inputs into clear, comparable visuals.

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Publications

Peer Reviewed Articles & Published Book Chapters

  • Malone, M., Groth, L., & Glazer, J. (2021). Leading in complex environments: the role of school leadership in multi-school organization improvement. School Leadership & Management, 41(4-5), 352-369. DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2021.1948397

  • Glazer, J.L., Massell, D. & Malone, M. (2019). Charter schools in turnaround: competing institutional logics in the Tennessee achievement school district. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 41(1), 5-33.

  • Glazer, J., Massell, D. & Malone, M. (2018). Charter schooling in a state-run turnaround district: lessons from the Tennessee Achievement School District. In I. Rotberg & J. Glazer, (Eds.), Choosing charters: better schools or more segregation?

  • Groth, L., Malone, M., & Glazer, J. (2017). Autonomy and accountability in turnaround work: the myth of portfolio school districts and organizational learning. In C. Meyers & M. Darwin, (Eds.), Enduring myths of school turnaround.

Reports

Let’s Connect

Reach out to schedule a time to chat and discuss what you’re looking for.

matthew.r.malone@gmail.com