Susan R. Boser

599 Chestnut Street

Indiana, PA 15701

Phone: (724) 349-0379

Email: sboser@iup.edu

 

Education

 

2001          Ph.D. Human Services Studies, Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University.  Concentrations: Program Evaluation, Action Research

Dissertation: An Action Research Approach to Reforming Rural Health and Human Service Administration through Medicaid Managed Care: Implications for the Policy Sciences. 

Committee Chair: Jennifer Greene, Ph.D.

 

1983     M.S.Ed.  Community Counseling, St. Bonaventure University

 

1979     B.A.  English, St. Bonaventure University

Teaching Experience

 

Assistant Professor, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Dept. of Sociology, January 2002 - present.  Coordinator, Doctoral Program in Administration and Leadership Studies, May, 2002 - present.  Doctoral program targets adult, working professionals in the non-profit and public sector, and focuses on integrating research and theory with direct application to the challenges of leadership and governance.  Courses taught include (Graduate) Human Services Administration, Sociology of Human Services, Qualitative Research Methods, Research Seminar, Leadership Applications (Undergraduate) Foundations of Sociological Practice, Clinical Sociological Practice  and Contemporary Social Problems - Honors.

 

Guest Lecturer to Human Service Administration, doctoral course at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, April 2001.  Topic: Human Service Administration in the Intergovernmental Context: Analysis of Funding and Data Flows, and the Impact for Local Government Planning

 

Lecturer, Contemporary Issues in Human Sexuality, Cornell University, Summer 2000.  Responsible for all aspects of course instruction. 

 

Guest Lecturer to Democratizing Society: Participation, Action and Research graduate course at Cornell, Fall 1999.  Topic: Conducting Community-based Research for Health and Human Service Reform

 

Teaching Assistant. Taught Program Planning and Development for Human Services, Cornell, Spring, 1997.  Included all aspects of course instruction, including developing syllabus, text selection, designing assessments and grading. 

 

Consulting  & Research

January 1998 – June 2002                                                         Southern Tier Special Regional Needs Project

                                                                                                      115 Liberty Street, Bath, NY  14810

 

From May 1998 – June 1999: Project Director, responsible for facilitating a participatory action research project.  Research involved a feasibility study conducted through a multi-county, multisectoral collaboration to determine the potential for developing a rural, integrated Medicaid managed care system, under local governance, for behavioral health and developmental disabilities services.  Study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NYS Department of Health, NYS Office of Mental Health and the New York State Senate.  Responsible for project oversight and operations, including all participatory qualitative and quantitative research activities to determine consumer utilization patterns and service system strengths and needs.  Wrote all project deliverables, including History of Project, Project Report, and Lessons Learned Handbook. Responsible for grant-writing to secure funding for implementation phase of the project. 

 

July 1999 – June 2002: Project Director responsible for facilitating the planning and implementation of a demonstration project for a rural, integrated Medicaid managed care plan. Primary responsibility was to coordinate a participatory planning process for designing a publicly operated, rural managed care plan for primary care, mental health and substance abuse services.  This includes benefit package and rate development, developing bylaws, contracts and protocols, securing legislative authorization, and integration with present human service system and primary health care system. Served as Project liaison with multiple state agencies, the Foundation, and local public stakeholders. Other responsibilities included evaluation design and execution, and all written deliverables.

 

 

Jan. 1999 – Sept. 2000                                                           Salamanca City Schools Even Start

                                                                                                 & Seneca Nation of Indians

                                                                                                            Salamanca, NY 14779

 

Evaluation consultant, conducting a participatory, qualitative evaluation of an Even Start Family Literacy Program operated jointly by the Salamanca City Schools and the Seneca Nation of Indians.  Particular focus was on exploring issues of teen parenting and poverty.   Represented this program on a team conducting a statewide Longitudinal Qualitative Case Study on Even Start for the New York State Department of Education.

 

 

June 1999 – October 1999                          Consultant, New York State Dept. of Education

 

Evaluation consultant to and participant in the New York State Longitudinal Qualitative Evaluation of Even Start Family Literacy Programs.  Responsibilities include analysis of local qualitative evaluations and development of written products for national audiences, such as Family Literacy Association, National Even Start Association.  

 

 

 

 

September 1997 – January 1999                    Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES Even Start

                                                                                      550 S. Warren Rd, Ithaca, NY  14850

 

Evaluation consultant, conducting a participatory evaluation of a rural, multi-county Even Start family literacy program.  Particular focus was on systemic change associated with family literacy programs.  Represented this program on a team conducting a statewide Longitudinal Qualitative Case Study on Even Start for the New York State Department of Education.

 

 

Other Professional Experience

 

November 1993 - August 1996                                                              Parent Education Program

                                                                                            210 E. Elm St., Olean, NY  14760

 

Program Supervisor for an intensive home-based family preservation program.  Duties included supervision of therapists, development of new programming, program evaluation and grant writing. Participated in a collaborative study along with local government leadership and administrators of local non-profit agencies, with a goal of improving provision of human services in the local, rural region.  Also served as agency representative for various collaborative community initiatives.

 

May 1989 - November 1993                                               Salamanca Healthcare Complex

                                                                                  150 Parkway Dr., Salamanca, NY  14779

 

Family Services Coordinator charged with creating family programming for inpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility.  Conducted research on current practices, developed agency position papers, and developed new services for primary clients and family members. 

 

September 1979 - May 1989                                                  Longview Home for Children

                                                                                         605 Niagara St., Buffalo, NY  14201

 

Assistant Director until 1983 then promoted to Treatment Coordinator.  Responsibilities included program administration, duties, supervision, clinical services, grant writing and administration of grant-funded programs for an adolescent residential treatment facility.

 

Publications & Reports

Boser, S. (2003) Democratizing policymaking through action research with local governments: A mechanism for large systems change.  Under review

 

Boser, S. (Fall 2002). Evaluation across an intergovernmental context: Issues raised through different perspectives on Even Start. New Directions for Program Evaluation. 95, 23-37.

 

Boser, S. (2000). Southern Tier Regional Special Needs Project: Report to the Governor’s Office. Bath, NY: Southern Tier Special Regional Needs Project.

 

Boser, S. (2000).  Social change through Social Research: the Southern Tier Regional Special Needs Project.  World Congress of Action Learning and Participatory Action Research, Archive of Conference Proceedings.  Ballarat, Victoria, Australia: University of Ballarat.

 

Boser, S. (2000).  New York State Longitudinal Evaluation: Salamanca Even Start Case Study, 1999-2000. Salamanca, NY: Salamanca Even Start Family Literacy Program.

 

Boser, S. (1999). Southern Tier Regional Special Need Project: Project Report for Feasibility Study.  Available at http://www.strhcp.org.

 

Boser, S. (1999). Southern Tier Regional Special Need Project: Lessons Learned. Available at http://www.strhcp.org.

 

Boser, S. (1999). Southern Tier Regional Special Need Project: Project History. Bath, NY: Southern Tier Special Regional Needs Project.

 

Boser, S. (1998). New York State Longitudinal Evaluation: T-S-T BOCES Even Start, 1997-1998 Case Study.  Ithaca, NY: T-S-T BOCES Even Start Family Literacy Program.

 

Boser, S. (1997). Local Knowledge in Action Research.  Ithaca, NY: Cornell Participatory Action Research Network.

Paper Presentations

 

November, 2003.  Created a panel presentation, chair and serve as discussant Building Local Evaluation Capacity: Challenges & Promise. American Evaluation Association National Conference, Reno, Nevada

 

November, 2003.  Presented paper Using Qualitative Research to Foster Collaborative Critical Reflection and Transformative Learning in Higher Education.  American Evaluation Association National Conference, Reno, Nevada

 

September, 2003.  Presented paper Democratizing policy-making through action research: A mechanism for large systems change.  World Congress on Action Learning and Participatory Action Research, Pretoria, South Africa.

 

September, 2003.  Co-facilitated a workshop with students entitled Exploring spaces for conducting university-based action research: A conversation.  World Congress on Action Learning and Participatory Action Research, Pretoria, South Africa

 

June, 2003.  Presented paper Using qualitative research to foster collaborative critical reflection and transformative learning in higher education. Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Conference, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh.

 

March, 2003.  Upon invitation, presented seminar Using action research to democratize policymaking, Cornell University.  Sponsored by the Cornell Participatory Action Research Network,.

 

November, 2002.  Presented paper From action research to participatory evaluation: Maintaining social reform. American Evaluation Association National Conference, Washington, D.C.

 

July, 2002. Panelist, Health Insurance for the Southern Tier, and Panelist, Collaboration & Communication. United Way Conference, Community Outlook: Understanding Issues Facing Our Community. Painted Post, NY.

 

November, 2001.  Co-facilitator for a Think Tank Session, Mainstreaming Evaluation into the State and Local Context.  America Evaluation Association National Conference, St. Louis, MO.

 

May 2001. Panelist, Sowing the Seeds - Women’s Leadership: A Rural Perspective. Pan American Women’s Leadership Conference: Human Rights for Women. Buffalo, New York

 

November 2000. Chaired panel and presented paper on Building Bridges: Integrating Practitioner Research with the Academy.  American Evaluation Association National Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

November 2000.  Presented Preparing an Action Research Dissertation at the doctoral roundtable, Dissertation Approaches. American Evaluation Association National Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

September 2000. Presentation on the Southern Tier Regional Special Needs Project to the New York State Governor’s Office.

 

September 2000. Presentation on the Southern Tier Regional Special Needs Project for the Commissioners and Executive Staff of the New York State Department of Health, New York State Office of Mental Health, New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, and the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

 

September 2000. Presented paper, Social Change through Social Research: the Southern Tier Regional Special Needs Project, at the 2000 World Congress for Action Learning and Participatory Action Research, University of Ballarat, Australia.

 

November 1999.  Upon invitation, presented seminar on Using Action Research for Rural Health and Human Service Reform, Cornell University.  Sponsored by the Cornell Participatory Action Research Seminar Series. 

 

September 1999. Invited feature speaker, Northeast Exchange of Universities for Participatory Action Research, Syracuse University.

 

April 1999.  Presentation on the Southern Tier Regional Special Needs Project to selected members of the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate.

 

November 1998. Panelist and commentator, Storytelling in Evaluation, American Evaluation Association annual conference, Chicago, IL.

 

November 1998.  Presented paper, Integrating Evaluation with Local Government Planning, American Evaluation Association Annual conference, Chicago, IL.

 

October 1998. Presentation on Using Qualitative Research to Identify Participant Outcomes, National Even Start Association Annual Conference, San Diego, CA. 

 

May 1997. Presented paper, Local Knowledge in Action Research at World Congress on Action Learning and Participatory Action Research in Cartegena, Colombia.

 

 

Master’s Thesis Advisement (completed)

Fitzpatrick, C.  (2003) The connects and disconnects of theory and program evaluation practice.  Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Department of Sociology.

 

 

Other Selected Accomplishments and Service

 

U.S. Representative to the Management Council for the Action Learning, Action Research, and Process Management, Melbourne, Australia.  Membership Coordinator, 2003 and 2004. Elected Vice-President, International Matters for 2004. 

 

Member, American Evaluation Association since 1997.  Elected Program Chair of the State and Local Government Topical Interest Group, for 2003 and again for 2004.

 

In June 2001, the Southern Tier Regional Special Needs Project was cited by the Governor’s Office for providing leadership in innovation in addressing critical problems in health and human services in New York State.

 

Coordinator, Cornell Participatory Action Research Network, 1997. President, Cornell Graduate Network for Participatory Action Research, 1997-1998.

 

Based on excellence as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, selected to represent the Department of Policy Analysis and Management to the College Advisory Board for Teaching Assistant Development, College of Human Ecology, 1998.

 

Member, Kappa Omicron Nu, the National Human Ecology Honor Society.

 

Member, Association for Research on Non-profit and Voluntary Agencies

 

Board of Directors of Tri-State Network of Family Preservation Services, 1995-96

 

Representative, Upstate Network of Family Preservation Services, 1993-1996.  Steering Committee Chair 1995-96

 


References

 

Jennifer C. Greene, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Educational Psychology

University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana

230 Education Building, Rm. 260

1310 S. Sixth Street

Champaign, IL 61820

(217) 333-8736

Email: jcgreene@uiuc.edu

 

 

 

Davydd J. Greenwood, Ph.D.

Goldwin Smith Professor of Anthropology

Director, Institute for European Studies

Cornell University

120 Uris Hall

Ithaca, New York 14853

Tel: [1] (607) 255-7592

Fax: [1] (607) 255-1565

e-mail: djg6@cornell.edu

 

 

 

John Kuder, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Human Service Studies

Department of Policy Analysis and Management

Cornell University

249 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall

Ithaca, New York 14853

Phone: 607-255-2510

 Fax: 607-255-0799

Email: jmk15@cornell.edu

 

 

 

Andrea Parrot, Ph.D.

Professor, Human Service Studies

Department of Policy Analysis and Management

Cornell University

187 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall

Ithaca, NY  14853

Phone: 607-255-2512

Fax: 607-255-0799

Email: ap30@cornell.edu