Escobar is a research associate in the Postsecondary Education policy area and has over a decade of experience conducting research and policy analysis within higher education. At MDRC, she focuses on implementation research that captures students’ experiences with support programs and how postsecondary institutions implement these programs. Before joining MDRC, she was a researcher and policy analyst for the University of California (UC) system and the UC Davis Office of Academic Diversity. Most recently, she evaluated Lake Tahoe College Promise Programs and leadership efforts to transform community colleges and classroom learning environments to support racial equity and equitable student outcomes. Escobar holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago. In 2020, she earned her Ph.D. in school organization and education policy at the UC Davis School of Education. Escobar is the first in her family to obtain a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree and a doctorate.
