Carter Epstein

Carter Epstein’s work is grounded in the belief that evidence is most valuable when people can understand it, trust it, and use it to improve policies, programs, and outcomes. She designs and leads experimental, quasi-experimental, implementation, and mixed-methods studies across education, prevention, health and human services, and other public-sector systems. Her expertise includes developing practical evidence-building strategies, overseeing complex data collection, and helping decisionmakers apply research to real-world challenges.  

Dr. Epstein currently leads evaluation design and feasibility work for the U.S. Department of the Army's Directorate of Prevention, Resilience, and Readiness and serves as principal investigator for a randomized controlled trial of an alcohol misuse prevention program. For the U.S. Department of Education, she has co-authored research on the District of Columbia’s private school voucher program and served in senior roles across multiple Regional Educational Laboratory studies. Her recent work includes providing senior analytic leadership for a study of Indiana schools’ use of ESSER funds for the REL Midwest and directing a randomized controlled trial of a professional learning program designed to improve writing instruction in grades 4–8 for the REL Southwest. Certified in What Works Clearinghouse group and single-case design standards, she has provided technical assistance to federal grantees conducting rigorous evaluations and led interdisciplinary teams through study design, implementation, analysis, and reporting. She has also led evaluations of scientific workforce development initiatives for the National Science Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.  

She works closely with policymakers, program directors, researchers, and practitioners to identify consequential questions, balance methodological rigor with practical constraints, and use evidence to strengthen programs, inform policy, and improve outcomes.