Social IMPACT Research Center (IMPACT) has a collaborative approach that leverages the experience and skills of each team member to create the highest quality product. IMPACT staff are not only skilled in the various technical aspects of research and evaluations, but also have proven success in communicating findings using media, briefing, and Web strategies.

Amy Rynell, Director

Amy is a facilitation expert, specializing in the fields of strategic planning and long-term systemic change. She has over 15 years of experience running meetings, directing coalitions, leading planning processes, and leading focus groups. In addition, Amy has in-depth knowledge of poverty and homelessness through providing direct services within a homeless system for 5 years, through being involved with homeless system planning through leadership positions within the Chicago Continuum of Care and coordinating the Regional Roundtable on Homelessness, and through documenting and evaluating best practices in addressing homelessness. She is a frequent presenter at National Alliance to End Homelessness conferences and others. Amy is particularly sensitive to the diversity of people experiencing homelessness, those with disabilities, and people experiencing poverty and the stereotypes regarding them. In light of this, she tailors her presentation style and content to meet her audiences ‘where they are at’.

Amy has worked for Heartland Alliance since 1997 and oversees the Social IMPACT Research Center's consulting and research activities. She serves as a spokesperson on poverty issues, coordinates the Regional Roundtable on Homelessness of Northeastern Illinois, and directs the National Transitional Jobs Network. In addition, Amy has served as co-chair of the Chicago Continuum’s Evaluation Committee and worked to document progress on Chicago’s Ten-Year Plan. Amy has worked on a variety of projects, including an evaluation of permanent supportive housing in the state of Illinois; an evaluation of DuPage County’s Plan to End Homelessness; and an inventory of public housing and housing choice vouchers capacity and waiting lists. She also oversaw the most comprehensive study of homelessness in northeastern Illinois and has been involved in studies of unemployed adults with multiple employment barriers.

Amy’s exceptional communication skills have resulted in countless stories on economic security issues run in media outlets and invitations to present at hundreds of events throughout the nation on issues impacting vulnerable populations.

Amy has a MA from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.

Amy Terpstra, Associate Director

Amy is a data analyst with expertise in Census Bureau, economic, health, and human services data collection, interpretation, and communication. Amy’s analyses have informed the work of thousands of service providers, advocacy groups, local and county governments, coalitions, and policy makers throughout Illinois and the Midwest.

Amy’s work focuses on poverty, income, and housing-related issues. She conducts research for and jointly authors the Social IMPACT Research Center's annual Reports on Illinois and Chicago Region Poverty and works on IMPACT's Self-Sufficiency Project. Amy works with clients from all sectors who are seeking data and information to inform their program decisions, service delivery structure, advocacy work, and planning.

Amy also brings a variety of research skills to the table. She is experienced in survey development, focus group development and facilitation, data analysis, and overall project management. For the last several years she has served in an adjunct capacity teaching social work and sociology research methods courses to undergraduate students.

Amy’s knowledge of affordable housing issues and understanding of the scope and dynamics of poverty and hardship for individuals and communities allow her to approach projects with a keen sense of the macro/system mechanisms in play. Amy is also experienced at leveraging projects to influence decision makers, primarily through presentations and strategic use of the media.

Amy has a MSW from Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Jonah Kushner, Senior Research Analyst
 

Mr. Kushner is a senior research analyst at the Social IMPACT Research Center. His research interests include the determinants of employment and earnings amongst disadvantaged workers, the evaluation of innovative employment programs, and the effects of labor market institutions on income, employment security, and equality. At the Social IMPACT Research Center, he leads evaluations of subsidized and transitional employment programs aimed at improving labor market outcome for disadvantaged workers. From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Kushner worked as a researcher for the Service Employees International Union. In this position, he assessed the impact of long-term care policy changes on nursing-home residents and long-term workers. He has held research-assistant positions with the Urban Institutes's Income and Benefits Policy Center, and with the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration and the Department of Sociology. Mr. Kushner holds a master of public policy degree from the University of Chicago's Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy and a baccalaureate degree in political science from Reed College. 

Lindy Carrow, Research Associate

Lindy has experience in both direct service and research in the human service sector. Prior to joining IMPACT, Lindy served as a research assistant on an ethnographic study in the Chicago Public School system using qualitative data to analyze the acculturation process of refugee youth in a multicultural setting. She also worked in an after-school program with ethnically diverse low-income youth in a nonprofit setting and in a domestic violence recovery center, also serving the low-income population of Chicago. Lindy has a strong grasp on the realities of life for low-income urban populations from her direct service work in nonprofits.

Since joining the IMPACT team, Lindy has worked on various projects, such as a snapshot of new veterans, their needs, and their service use in Illinois and the Chicago area. Lindy has also worked on a needs assessment on child hunger and nutrition. This and other projects have given her experience in qualitative data collection, database management, and data analysis and presentation. She has expertise in online survey design and knowledge in qualitative data analysis software.

Lindy has a MSW from Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Jennifer Clary, Research Associate

Jennifer has a background in community development and social justice, and experience working to improve quality of life for marginalized and disadvantaged populations. She has expertise in issue research, project management, engaging in comprehensive planning processes, and working for social change.

At IMPACT, Jennifer works on the Self-Sufficiency Project, including jointly authoring the Illinois state report; U.S. Census Bureau data releases; and the annual Report on Illinois Poverty. Jennifer also provides data support across a range of projects, and responds to requests for data to support decision-making, advocacy, and planning.

Previously, Jennifer was a consultant on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contracts, jointly authoring reports and additional written materials based on stakeholder input to facilitate broader understanding of environmental justice issues, and working collaboratively with Federal Advisory Committee work groups to develop reports outlining advice and recommendations to relevant federal agencies. At the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, Jennifer spearheaded a comprehensive curriculum content review and engaged in policy and advocacy efforts to improve adolescent sexual health in state. Building upon her prior experience as a member of the education team at the Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, she cultivated strong communication, issue research, project management, and presentation skills; and developed a deep commitment to working with and for individuals whose voices are too often excluded from the debates that impact them directly and disproportionately.

Jennifer has a master of urban planning and policy degree from the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago.   

Suniya Farooqui, Research Associate

Suniya has experience researching on immigrant and refugee issues, domestic violence, legal services, and monitoring/evaluation internationally.  Before joining IMPACT, Suniya was assisting Woodstock Institute in analyzing the affect of housing and banking regulation trends on low-income communities and minority groups through data and qualitative research. 

Suniya has a MPP from the Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.  

Ellyn Drathring, Research Assistant

Ellyn Drathring is in her final year as a Master's of Social Work student concentrating in Community Health and Urban Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has direct social work experience with a variety of populations, notably children and adolescents with developmental disabilities, adolescents in substance abuse treatment, and homeless adults. Ellyn's undergraduate research experience includes developing surveys, conducting interviews, and coding responses in relation to a study of employment opportunities for individuals with autism and a study of GLBTQ women's opinions of labels. At the graduate level she has assisted in compiling professional literature reviews, edited research manuscripts for publication in scholarly journals, and contributed to an online magazine for the empowerment of East-Asian women. Ellyn is interested in developing her professional research and analysis skills with IMPACT so that she can more effectively influence social change throughout her career.  

Kristin Scally, Research Assistant

Kristin Scally is in her final year as a master of public administration student concentrating in non-profit management and public communication at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her program Kristin has researched and analyzed domestic policies designed to combat human trafficking and most recently participated in the Great Cities London program where she completed a comparative research project on government corruption. Prior to beginning her program, Kristin spent several years working in non-profit organizations where she focused in communication, health care and finance. She has been involved in advocating for urban health initiatives and has worked within the community to promote the development of wellness programs targeted for the low-income population. Kristin has a strong interest in improving the quality of life for those individuals and families in need and looks forward to developing and strengthening her research and analysis skills with IMPACT.

Jean Lam, Program Coordinator

Jean provides clerical, administrative, and various programmatic support to IMPACT. Jean joined Heartland Alliance in 2002 as an Administrative Assistant. Her previous experience includes database maintenance and information services support.