Program/Policy Analyst

Melissa J. Long

**** **** ****** *****, #*, Arlington, VA 22209 ( C: 202-***-**** (

********@*****.***

Program and Policy Analyst

Dedicated, dependable, and diligent analyst with nearly six years'

experience conducting quantitative analysis, reviewing literature,

evaluating and tracking collected data, identifying program effectiveness

and deficiencies, and recommending remediation. Prepared data guides and

published findings. Fair, thoughtful, and considerate in helping co-workers

and directing research subjects. Employ empathy and strong communication

and interpersonal skills in interacting with people of all ages and

backgrounds and building relationships.

Demonstrate strengths and accomplishments in:

Managerial Decision-Making Statistical Relationships Microsoft

Office & SAS

Professional Writing & Speaking Team Collaboration Cost-Benefit

Analysis

Policy Analysis & Interpretation Task Delegation Research Design

Core Qualifications

Combining theoretical prospective, analytical skill, and substantive

knowledge.

. Policy Analysis: Statistically analyzed nationwide data and co-wrote a

research brief. Conducted all analyses, data collection, and writing

for booklet used in legislative lobbying.

. Project Management: Created project plans, identified resources,

scheduled timelines, coordinated events, managed databases, and

revised spreadsheet for a group assisting with the deployment of a

worldwide information system infrastructure for Dell Computers.

Supervised research assistants.

. Selected Graduate & Undergraduate Courses: Public Policy Analysis,

Political Feasibility, Urban/Industrial Policy, Empirical Methods for

Public Policy, Introduction to Planning, Social Problems in American

Society, Political Theory, Research Methods, Management Science,

Public Administration, International Relations, Financial Analysis,

and Econometrics.

Education

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY, H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and

Management, Pittsburgh, PA

Master of Science (MS) in Public Policy and Management ( 3.6 GPA

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, Chapel Hill, NC

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science and Public Policy Analysis (dual

majors)

Professional Development: CHILD TRENDS: Project Management Training

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: Statistical Methods in Policy Analysis

GRADUATE SCHOOL USA: Econometrics

Related Professional Experience

CHILD TRENDS, Washington, D.C.

Nonpartisan research and policy center focused exclusively on improving

outcomes of children, through analysis of child poverty, child welfare,

early child development, education, parenting, and health of children and

teens.

Research Analyst - Performed data collection and analysis, conducted

comparative studies, and wrote papers for funding sources and publication.

Aided in selecting content, preparing materials, and organizing an SAS

training course. Received invitation to join National Data Archive on Child

Abuse and Neglect Summer Research Institute (Cornell University) to

participate in additional social research. (1999 - 2003) Key projects:

Melissa J. Long

C: 202-***-**** ( ********@*****.*** ( Page 2 of 2

. Attitudes Toward Welfare, Non-marital Childbearing, and Work:

Contributed to Assessing the New Federalism project for the Urban

Institute. Took data from the National Survey of American Families to

investigate intangible obstacles in achieving job success for women

who received welfare. Evaluated whether welfare recipients were

substantially more accepting of welfare, more accepting of non-marital

childbearing, and if they valued work less than the rest of the

population. Assisted in data analysis and writing that was published

as a policy brief for the Urban Institute.

. Young Children in Foster Care: Prepared paper describing the foster

care population, examining young children's' pathways into the foster

care system, and providing an overview of the status of children under

age five in foster care. Developed a dataset from the Adoption and

Foster Care Reporting System for children in foster care, creating

variables, removing duplicates, conducting analyses, and writing

paper.

. Children in Working Poor Families: Funded by and submitted to the

Foundation for Child Development using the Current Population Survey

and the Survey of Income and Program Participation for the analysis.

Helped write the literature review and conducted analyses.

. Consortium on Child Wellbeing Indicators for Child Welfare:

Contributed to meetings focused on improving the quality of

information that guides child welfare policy and practice by

developing reliable child wellbeing indicators for use in child

welfare datasets. Produced a table with information about current

available datasets with child indicator variables, assisted with data

analysis, helped with writing and information collection, and

coordinated general meeting logistics.

. Development and Use of Child Wellbeing Indicators in Prevention of

Child Abuse and Neglect: Funded by and delivered to the Doris Duke

Foundation. Assisted with analyses, using NSCAW and NSAF, to obtain

data to conduct a secondary data analysis and comparison of multiple

studies.

. The Right Start: Conditions of Babies and Their Families in America's

Largest Cities: Funded and distributed by the Annie E. Casey

Foundation. As assistant project manager, assisted with the

collection, organization, analysis, and dissemination of a data book

that provided city-level data for 10 measures that characterize the

wellbeing of newborns in the U.S. Similar data for states were

presented in the Appendix.

. The Right Start II: Expanded on and revised the original Right Start

Data Book. Published separate companion data books for city and state-

level data.

. Fathers and Child Maltreatment: Helped conduct statistical analyses

and collect content information. Assisted with writing and

organization of paper and PowerPoint slides for presentation at the

8th International Family Violence Research Conference at the

University of New Hampshire.

CARNEGIE MELON UNIVERSITY, Pittsburgh, PA

Research Assistant - Assisted Dr. Alfred Blumstein in collecting data and

performing SAS analyses for a conference presentation and worked with Dr.

Susan McElroy in reviewing literature for a paper. (1997 - 1999).

Additional Experience

DAILY GRILL, Principal Trainer/Server/Hostess (Part time, 2003 - 2012,

while family caregiver)

BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF TEXAS, Legislative Assistant, Government

Relations (1996 - 1997)

SYSTEMHOUSE LIMITED/MCI, Project Assistant (1996)

Publications

Wertheimer, R.F., Long, M. and Vandivere, S. (2001). Welfare Recipients'

Attitudes toward Welfare, Non-marital Childbearing, and Work for

Reform. Washington, D.C: The Urban Institute.

Croan, T., Hatcher, J., Jager, J., O'Hare, W., Long, M. and Wertheimer, R.

(2001). The Right Start City Trends: Conditions of Babies and Their

Families in America's Largest Cities and The Right Start Trends:

Conditions of Babies and Their Families in America's Largest Cities.

Washington, D.C.: Child Trends.

Wertheimer, R.F., Long, M., and Jager, J. (1999). The Right Start:

Conditions of Babies and Their Families in America's Largest Cities.

Baltimore, MD: The Annie E. Casey Foundation. Boston University,

Boston, MA.

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