Please join Washington Evaluators online for a Deep Dive with Albertina (Aly) Lopez!

Attendees will read, discuss, and apply Aly's Evaluation Capacity Building Leadership Framework. Please read her blog post introducing the framework in advance of the event here and think about how it might be a helpful planning tool in your own work: https://www.evaluationinnovation.org/insight/how-leaders-affect-evaluation-capacity-building-in-foundations/

Albertina Lopez, Ph.D, is senior associate at the Center for Evaluation Innovation. She supports the organization’s evaluation portfolio and Evaluation Roundtable work, applying her expertise in leadership, evaluation capacity building, philanthropy, organizational development and learning, research design and data analysis, and evaluation approaches that emphasize strategic learning. Prior to joining CEI, she worked with Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit in Southern California where she managed evaluation, learning, and strategic planning for major grant initiatives. Albertina has a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University in evaluation, applied research methods, and organizational behavior and an undergraduate degree from San Jose State University in psychology and philosophy.

This members-only online event is limited to 25 people; Members are able to register a guest. Please register by April 6 to confirm. Directions to connect online will be provided to registered participants a few days in advance of the event. 

Please join the Washington Evaluators for our monthly meeting! Members and non-members welcome. Please note that Board meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month.

Location: Online . This posting will be updated with the videoconference information prior to the meeting. 

Time: 6:30-8:00 pm

Agenda: Will be updated one week prior to meeting.

Please join Washington Evaluators online for a Deep Dive with Donna Mertens: Transformative Evaluation in International Development, April 22, 2020, 12:30pm.

Attendees will discuss Dr. Mertens' latest article with Ida Widianingsih, Transformative research and the sustainable development goals: challenges and a vision from Bandung, West Java. Attendees are asked to read this article in advance of the event .

Donna Mertens, Ph.D, is Professor Emeritus; she taught research and evaluation at Gallaudet University for 31 years; she is a past president of the American Evaluation Association and served as the editor for the Journal for Mixed Methods Research for five years. She conducts and consults on evaluations in many countries, for example,reduction of gender based violence in Kyrgyzstan, environmental justice in Korea for Yonsei University, Kazakhstan for UN Women, Nepal and India for the World Bank and the Canadian International Development Agency, Sri Lanka for the Sri Lanka Evaluation Association, Australia for the Aboriginal Health Education and Research Unit, and Egypt for Higher Education Development. The primary focus of her work is transformative mixed-methods inquiry in diverse communities that prioritizes ethical implications of research and evaluation in support of human rights and social justice. Her recent books include Mixed Methods Design in Evaluation, Program Evaluation Theory and Practice: A Comprehensive Guide (2nd ed.) (authored with Amy Wilson), Transformative Research and Evaluation, The Handbook of Social Research Ethics, Research and Evaluation in Education, Psychology: Integrating Diversity with Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods (5th ed.), and Indigenous Pathways into Social Research (co-edited with Fiona Cram and Bagele Chilisa).

This members-only online event is limited to 25 people; Members are able to register a guest. Please register by April 20 to confirm. Directions to connect online will be provided to registered participants a few days in advance of the event. 

Please join Washington Evaluators online for a Deep Dive with Michael Quinn Patton: Evaluation Implications of the Coronavirus Global Health Pandemic Emergency, May 6, 2020, 12:30pm.

Attendees will discuss Dr. Patton's recent blog post on the Blue Marble Evaluation website: Evaluation Implications of the Coronavirus Global Health Pandemic Emergency. Attendees are asked to read this post in advance of the event .

Michael Quinn Patton, Ph.D, is an independent consultant who has been conducting program evaluations since the 1970s. Based in Minnesota, he was on the faculty of the University of Minnesota for 18 years and is a former president of the American Evaluation Association (AEA). His books include Blue Marble Evaluation, Developmental Evaluation, Developmental Evaluation Exemplars, Principles-Focused Evaluation, Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (now in its fourth edition), and Utilization-Focused Evaluation (now in its fourth edition), among others. He is a recipient of the Alva and Gunnar Myrdal Evaluation Practice Award and the Paul F. Lazarsfeld Evaluation Theory Award, both from AEA, as well as the Lester F. Ward Distinguished Contribution to Applied and Clinical Sociology Award from the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology. Dr. Patton is an active trainer and workshop presenter who has conducted applied research and evaluation on a broad range of issues and has worked with organizations and programs at the international, national, state, provincial, and local levels.

This members-only online event is limited to 25 people; Members are able to register a guest. Please register by May 4 to confirm. Directions to connect online will be provided to registered participants a few days in advance of the event. 

Please join Washington Evaluators for social networking:

District Clay Private Wheel Event!  
 

WE has arranged a private pottery party -- a fun filled (and challenging) adventure in working on the pottery wheel while getting to know fellow evaluators. Beer, wine and chips and salsa, and yes, water, tea, coffee are all included. You should consider it fair game to bring anything you want to eat and drink there. Still need more reasons to attend? --Click here. 

The pottery pottery will be preceded by snacks/early dinner at a local restaurant. 

When: May 23, 2020. 3:30 pm - food and drinks; 6 pm pottery party

Where:

Food & Drink at 3:30 pm: Zion West African Restaurant (laid-back destination with a menu of regional West African specialties & a full bar) 1805 Montana Ave NE B, Washington, DC 20002  202-636-9097

Pottery Party at 5:30 pm:  The District Clay Center (DCC) 2414 Douglas Street NE Washington, DC 20018 

Directions: 

The District Clay Center (DCC) is located in a quiet residential neighborhood next to Brookland in a renovated artisan Warehouse called “Off the Beaten Track.” The Center is a 10-minute drive from Capitol Hill, NoMA, Catholic University and Hyattsville and 15-20 minutes from Takoma Park, Adams Morgan and DuPont Circle.  The Warehouse offers parking directly in front of the building and on the street  - please note that parking inside the gated lot is for tenants ONLY.  When you arrive at the Warehouse, you can access the Center by using the doors on the left hand side of the OFF THE BEATEN TRACK building in front.  

Metro Station: Rhode Island Ave. (red line)- 1.1 miles (21 minutes' walk) to Zion West; then 0.6 miles (12 mins.) to District Clay; return to metro 1.5 miles (30 mins.). Map here.

Who: Everyone: members, guests, non-members. Maximum number of people is 28.

What to wear: You will get wet clay on your clothes but I have never seen pottery clay stain anything ever. You might like to wear an old shirt or apron and bring an old towel or rag.

Cost and Registration: 

Food and drink at the restaurant are on your own. 

The pottery party is $65 per person, where $35 is due in advance at WE's event registration page. The $35 advance deposit is required to register. The deposit is non-refundable UNLESS you find and designate a replacement. 

An additional $30 is due at the door to District Clay. Please arrive early to pay the rest of your fee directly to the Center. They take card and cash.   

Questions? Charles Gilman is hosting-- please contact him with questions on the event. charlespgilman@gmail.com 202-706-9267 

For questions about registration and payment, contact WE at charlespgilman@gmail.com.

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Social Event: Tudor Place guided tour and brunch at 1310 Kitchen and Bar

Tudor Place is a Federal-style mansion in Washington, D.C. that was originally the home of Thomas Peter and his wife, Martha Parke Custis Peter, a granddaughter of Martha Washington. Step-grandfather George Washington left her the $8,000 in his will that was used to purchase the property in 1805. There are 5 ½ acres of gardens, as well as a museum shop for visitors to enjoy after the tour.

Who: Everyone (members, guests, non-members) 

When: Sunday May 24th starting at 11 AM sharp. Brunch is reserved for 12:30.

Where: Tudor Place Historic House & Garden @1644 31st St NW, Washington, DC 20007

Fee: The guided tour is $10 per person (nonrefundable; attendees are responsible for their food and drinks at brunch. RSVP including the tour fee is required and closed 9 days before the event. The tour is approximately 1 hour in length.

After the guided tour we will go to brunch at 1310 Kitchen and Bar @ 1310 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007 in Georgetown. 

Free 2 hour parking is available along 31 st St. [There is a Safeway exactly half a mile north on Wisconsin that you can park at if on street parking is not available.] Georgetown is accessible by bus but not rail.

If you have questions or need a ride, text or whatsapp Charlie Gilman, 202-706-9267.

Please join Washington Evaluators for a social networking event:

Great Falls White Water Rafting

Calleva Outdoors hosts 4 hour Family-friendly rafting trips down the Potomac River. Experience the adventurous side of DC as we explore the Potomac River below beautiful Great Falls. Our guides will teach you the basics of how to paddle, before embarking on the river. We’ll stop along the shore to enjoy the beautiful scenery, as well as a delicious deli style lunch.

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Great Falls White Water Rafting

Calleva Outdoors hosts 4 hour Family-friendly rafting trips down the Potomac River. Experience the adventurous side of DC as we explore the Potomac River below beautiful Great Falls. Our guides will teach you the basics of how to paddle, before embarking on the river. We’ll stop along the shore to enjoy the beautiful scenery, as well as a delicious deli style lunch.

UPDATED per meeting the registration minimum

Who: Everyone (members, guests, non-members) 

When: Saturday June 20th starting at 10AM sharp.

Where: Participants will meet at Calleva Virginia (located on the campus of the Madeira School), we will provide a bus shuttle. 8328 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22102

Car pooling can be arranged with the coordinator Charlie Gilman- 202 706 9267.

Fee: WE Registration only confirms interest.  Please register at both WE (link at the bottom) and at the Calleva app. We would love for you guys to join and can offer you a 50% discount. Just use the promo code RAFT50 (all caps) at check out. Here is the link to registration: https://app.calleva.org/cs/class_schedule/?class_id=62"

Max is 24 people. If there is so much interest, instead of using a wait list we can just organize a different day in addition. So if the max is reached and you want to raft please contact Charlie.

Training, lunch, life vests, and helmets are provided.

No rain checks.

Bring sun block.

If you have questions or need a ride, text or whatsapp Charlie Gilman, 202-706-9267.

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Lotus and Water Lily Festival 2020

Celebrate nature, culture, and community at the National Park Service's annual Lotus & Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens this July. This year’s celebration is on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

For complete details visit https://www.nps.gov/keaq/index.htm.

Costs: Free but Register here.

Who: Everyone (members, guests, non-members and families) 

When: Sunday July 19. Carpool and rendezvous at the entrance at 10AM.

Where:  Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave NE, Washington, DC 20019

If you have questions or need a ride contact Charlie Gilman (202-706-9267 or charlespgilman@gmail.com). Car pool options will be arranged with registrants. 3 places available in Charlie's car.

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Maryland Renaissance Festival!

"The 27 acre Village of Revel Grove comes to life each autumn with more than 200 professional performers on ten stages, a 3,000 seat arena with armored jousting on magnificent steeds and streets filled with village characters. Join His Most Royal Highness King Henry VIII in the forests and glades with over 140 artisans exhibiting crafts in their own renaissance shops, five taverns featuring cool libations, 42 food and beverage emporiums providing a vast array of succulent and sweet treats to sate even the most hearty of appetites.

The almost continuous entertainment on all ten stages features many returning favorite performers. The first three weekends, from August 24th through September 8th, the Festival reduces pricing for all without coupons or special purchasing required to offer family friendly entertainment pricing. Prices, special event info and full schedules are available at www.marylandrenaissancefestival.com."

If you have never been to a RenFest here are some pointers:

• Cash is required for almost all transactions inside the park.
• Renaissance festivals occur in every state and Maryland’s is the most child friendly one that I have been to.
• Food is available, and compared to DC, is about the same price. Vegetarian options are available inside the park.
• There are live animals. If you are allergic to horses, camels, or elephants bring an epipen.
• Early September will be HOT but far less crowded. If it is wet, the ground is covered in saw dust so mud is not bad.
• You can dress up in your favorite renaissance style or rent clean costumes at the park.
• Bring sun block!

Costs:

If we have a group of at least 20 there will be a discount. Less than 20 people and the costs are:

Adult (Ages 16- 61) $20 

Senior (Ages 62+) $18 

Children (Ages 7- 15) $9 

Who: Everyone (members, guests, non-members and families) 

When: Sunday September 6. Rendezvous at the entrance at 10AM.

Where: 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD 21401

If you have questions or need a ride contact Charlie Gilman (202-706-9267 or charlespgilman@gmail.com). Car pool options will be arranged with registrants. 3 places available in Charlie's car.

See https://rennfest.com/faqs/ for additional information.