Expertise
Luminosa Research provides high-quality evaluation and research services to help our clients succeed in their endeavors. Our strengths include the rigor of our work, our collaborative spirit, the ability to effectively communicate research findings to key stakeholders, and our expertise in research design and data analysis. Our services include:
- Program evaluation
- Quantitative and qualitative research, including advanced methodologies and statistics
- Needs assessments, including Community Health Needs Assessments
- Policy analysis and evaluation
- Data management
- Strategic planning
- Proposal development
- Technical assistance and training
Who We Are
Luminosa Research provides strategic research and evaluation services to help foundations, clinics, hospitals, and nonprofit and public entities achieve their unique goals.
Consultants at Luminosa have a broad range of research experience in nonprofit, philanthropic, government, and academic settings. Collectively, we have over 50 years of research and consulting experience.
LISA KERBER, PH.D.
Dr. Kerber is President of Luminosa. She does rigorous and thoughtful research to meet each client’s needs and budgets. Lisa designs both qualitative and quantitative studies and excels at documenting research findings for diverse audiences. She has experience analyzing survey data, claims data, clinic encounter data, hospital discharge data, and Census data. Recent projects have assessed community needs, helped to determine funding strategies for early childhood issues, and evaluated health-related pilot programs implemented by nonprofit organizations. Lisa earned an undergraduate degree in English literature and a master’s degree in Latin American Studies. Her PhD is in sociology and demography from the University of Texas at Austin.
COLIN PIERSON, M.A.
Colin Pierson uses quantitative research and applied statistics to help clients understand their programs’ strengths, weaknesses, and future directions. His expertise includes managing and cleaning complex datasets and statistical analyses. Mr. Pierson’s recent collaborations include the implementation and evaluation of innovative health care models in clinics across Texas, a needs assessment for Texas veterans, and an evaluation of the Texas Information and Referral Network. In addition to consulting, Colin teaches courses in statistics and data analysis at Texas State University. Mr. Pierson has a master’s degree in sociology from Texas State University.
TONI WATT, PH.D.
Dr. Watt is a professor and department chair of Sociology at Texas State University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in research methodology. Her areas of expertise include program evaluation and advanced statistics. Recent projects have centered on mental and behavioral health, child welfare, and health disparities. She has numerous academic publications, and her work has been featured in the New York Times, The Boston Globe, USA Today, and other national and international media. Dr. Watt received the prestigious Pro Humanitate Literary Award, which is given to researchers who make a significant contribution to “best practice” in the field of child welfare. Toni has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s in business administration. She received her PhD in sociology with an emphasis in demography at the University of Texas at Austin.
AUTUMN FORD, EQUITY IN RESEARCH, EVALUATION, AND POLICY INTERN
Autumn Ford is a graduate student in the Applied Sociology Master’s Program at Texas State University. Her training includes quantitative and qualitative research methods, statistics, data analysis, evaluation, and proposal writing. The internship is open to outstanding graduate students in Sociology at Texas State University who have been traditionally under-represented in higher education and the evaluation and research professions. Groups traditionally under-represented include first-generation college students, people of color, people of ethnic minorities, people who identify as LGBTQ, former foster youth, and others.
OTHER CONSULTANTS
Luminosa Research regularly partners with highly esteemed individuals and organizations to provide specific knowledge, skills, and resources.
Clients
Luminosa researchers have led and collaborated on research projects, evaluation projects, and needs assessments for the following organizations.
NONPROFIT
- AGE of Central Texas
- Austin Children’s Museum
- Communities in Schools of Central Texas
- Community First Health Plans, Inc.
- DC Action for Children
- Every Body Texas
- Family Eldercare
- Feeding Texas
- Healthy Futures of Texas
- The Immunization Partnership
- Mental Health America of Greater Houston
- Nurse Family Partnership
- Texas Hospital Association Foundation
- Wonders and Worries
PHILANTHROPIC
- George Foundation
- Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
- Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
- St. David’s Foundation
- TG Philanthropy/TG Public Benefits Program
PUBLIC SECTOR
- Central Health
- Harris County Protective Services
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice
- Texas Parks and Wildlife
- Texas Veterans’ Commission