Our Team

Dr. Kristin Klopfenstein founded the Colorado Lab to co-create responsive and actionable research in partnership with decision makers. Kristin’s previous experience prepared her well for launching, growing, and sustaining the Colorado Lab. After earning her PhD in economics at the University of Colorado, she assumed a faculty position at Texas Christian University (TCU) where she […]

Dr. Elysia Versen joined the Colorado Lab during its first year to build the capacity of Colorado leaders to use research to improve the lives of Coloradans. Elysia’s experience as a clinician and an educator shapes her approach to designing research and translation of findings into innovative policies and practices. Elysia holds a master’s degree […]

Dr. Whitney LeBoeuf joined the Colorado Lab in 2017 because she shares itsdedication to actionable research to drive decision making. Prior to joining the Colorado Lab, Whitney helped launch Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy, an initiative based out of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) that helps state and local governments collaborate and responsibly use data […]

Shannon came to the Colorado Lab to support its results-driven focus on translating research findings into public practice and policy. Her previous experience with differing socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds along with her technical aptitude prepared her well for coordinating efforts across projects with the Colorado Lab. After earning a bachelor’s degree, Shannon worked as a […]

Dr. Courtney Everson joined the Colorado Lab to advance data-driven transformations in policy and practice. Courtney’s previous experience in mixed methods research and community engagement has prepared her well to lead complex projects that are responsive to decision-maker needs and anchored in actionability. After earning her PhD in applied medical anthropology and public health from […]

Dr. Ernest Boffy-Ramirez is a labor economist and IZA Institute of Labor Economics Fellow whose previous research on labor market dynamics led him to seek out opportunities to effect tangible change with the Colorado Lab. Before joining the Colorado Lab, Ernest spent over a decade as a professor of economics at the University of Colorado […]

Ellen was drawn to the Colorado Lab’s strong partnerships with policymakers, social program administrators and providers, and communities across Colorado. Prior to the Colorado Lab, Ellen worked in international development as a Senior Evaluation and Learning Manager to create a new culture of learning and evidence building among teams in over 10 countries. She previously […]

Val was drawn to the Colorado Lab because of its focus on building relationships and the use of data to address social issues in Colorado. Prior to joining the Colorado Lab, Val worked as a project manager for the Colorado Department of Human Services and for a software start-up in Chicago. In these roles, she […]

Allie joined the Colorado Lab because she believes that smart policy and compassionate people can make daily life better for Coloradans. Prior to joining the Colorado Lab, Allie worked as an early childhood educator in Kansas City, Missouri. This firsthand experience in the classroom pushed her to pursue her master’s in early childhood policy at […]

Jo joined the Colorado Lab for the Colorado Prosecutorial Dashboards project, encouraging data-informed prosecutorial practices to advance fairness and support transparency across the state’s justice system. Prior to joining the Colorado Lab, Jo developed and oversaw the Compliance Department for the Center for Justice Innovation’s Brooklyn-based criminal courts programming in New York. Her department enhanced […]

Erin joined the Colorado Lab because of its focus on actionability and use of data to drive decision making with the aim of improving the lives of Coloradans. Prior to the joining the Colorado Lab, Erin’s experience working at The University of Texas at Austin in the Child and Family Research Partnership prepared her for […]

Christian joined the Colorado Lab to help government and community partners take a data-driven approach to program design and implementation. Prior to joining the Colorado Lab, Christian worked as a research associate at the Association of Washington Cities, where he partnered with municipal employees to gather, analyze, and visualize data around a host of issue […]

Erik is a public policy analyst and trained data analyst who specializes in quantitative analysis, data transformation and linkage, data visualization, and SQL. He joined the Colorado Lab because he saw the public good that it provides and the value that he could bring to the team. Prior to joining the Colorado Lab, Erik worked […]

Shane is passionate about working with data to help improve people’s lives and decision making. He was drawn to the Colorado Lab by the important and impactful work they do. Shane serves as an analyst for both the Colorado Lab and LINC. He contains a strong background in data wrangling, data analytics and statistical analysis. […]

Courtney joined the Colorado Lab because of its strong partnership with state policymakers and community serving organizations. Courtney is passionate about elevating the voices of those directly impacted by policy decisions with the goal of increasing equity in Colorado. Before joining the Colorado Lab, Courtney worked as a mixed methods researcher and project manager at […]

Gionna joined the Colorado Lab to continue supporting evidence-based research for meaningful action. Gionna previously worked at the Colorado Department of Education as the Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (READ) Act Program Assistant, where she assisted grant managers and literacy consultants in data collection and tracking; and communication with stakeholders with READ Act grants, […]