Westat experts will share their research at the 23rd Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS), May 20–22, 2026, in Washington, DC. Convened by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), RECS is a premier gathering of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners exploring the latest evidence on family economic self-sufficiency and social welfare programs.
Westat Presentations
Thursday, May 21, 10:15 to 11:30 am
Panel: Housing and Homelessness
Westat’s Kathy Wroblewska, MPP, will be presenting “Planning Better Together: Active Community Engagement to Foster Evaluation and Learning.” This presentation will highlight how the Chafee Housing Continuous Learning Design project engages young adults with foster care experience and communities to help design a peer learning collaborative aimed at improving housing supports for young people transitioning out of foster care.
Panelists:
- Kathleen Moore, Administration for Children and Families
- Kathy Wroblewska, Westat
- Lanae Davis, Center for Policy Research
- Alicia Solano, Maggie’s Place
Panel: Data Interoperability in Human Services
Westat’s Emily Sama-Miller, MPP, will present lessons and themes from an ACF-sponsored cross-site analysis of 11 data-sharing initiatives. The panelists will provide perspectives on 2 initiatives that developed data-sharing approaches to support human services policy and delivery, focusing on lessons, challenges, and key context. This will be an interactive discussion about a rapidly advancing field.
Panelists:
- Emily Sama-Miller, Westat
- Dr. Richon Nembhard, Montgomery County Health and Human Services
- Katie Breslin, Data and Policy Analytics Division, Connecticut Office of Policy and Management