Leslie J. Cooksy, PhD
CONTACT: LJC.eval@gmail.com
Editing & Writing Support
I have edited several reports for independent evaluation firms. In each case, I provided detailed comments in order to help staff improve their ability to write a strong report without an outside editor in the future.
Seeing my capacity building approach to report review, the Institute of Social Research at Sacramento State University hired me to lead a staff workshop on report writing and prepare written guidance for evaluation proposals and reports.
We found your editorial skills and expertise particularly valuable on the deliverables you helped us with in the past.
- Consulting firm client
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Through every interaction with Leslie as editor and colleague, I have come away with new insights, wisdom, and confidence. She provided above-and-beyond editorial support for a book review I wrote.
- Thomas Archibald,
Virginia Tech
Evaluation Advising
Mutual Assistance Network is a community-based organization working to advance the social and economic opportunities of residents of Del Paso Heights and other Sacramento neighborhoods. I served as an evaluation guide and resource to the organization's leadership. Together, we created an integrated plan for evaluating operations and a plan for evaluating a local project. I have also provided support with grant proposals.
Leslie has been an invaluable partner in shaping the Mutual Assistance Network’s evaluation processes. Her collaborative approach was instrumental in co-creating a comprehensive evaluation plan for our internal operations, ensuring that our strategies were well-structured and aligned with our goals. Leslie’s guidance in developing strategies for evaluating our community center was pivotal, allowing us to measure success more effectively and make informed decisions.
What truly sets her apart is her emphasis on racial equity and cultural responsiveness. She helped us adopt a more inclusive and thoughtful evaluative lens, which enriched our understanding of community needs and deepened our impact. Leslie also supported our leadership team in critically assessing program planning, which directly contributed to the success of our programs. Her contributions have left a lasting positive impact on our organization, and we are deeply grateful for her expertise and dedication.
- Danielle Lawrence, Executive Director
Mutual Assistance Network
Evaluation Training
Working with the Institute for Social Research, I created an evaluation training for leaders of community-based organizations. The program, Evaluation Fundamentals: Opportunities for Program Engagement and Influence, provided the language and tools for influencing evaluation decisions by funders. I used culturally responsive evaluation as a framework of decision points and strategies for influence, while also introducing evaluation terms to increase participants' confidence in advocating for evaluation strategies that are culturally appropriate for their context. The training was was offered over three days in three-hour sessions.
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"Acknowledging that we have power to affect change within the systems. Discussion was powerful. Tools were given for our growth and development. This is true capacity building."
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"Getting to the tangible and being challenged to think differently and critically. Love learning the lingo! Methods!"
​- Comments by participants of the
Evaluation Fundamentals
workshop​