Joanne Leonard

Joanne graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a Joint Honours degree in Statistics and Accounting & Finance. She joined CRG as a research consultant / analyst in 2002 having previously worked for the Office for National Statistics as a Statistical Officer. Joanne is actively involved in statistics and in 2003 became a fellow of the Royal statistical Society. She is familiar with statistical techniques and is highly experience in using SPSS and its associated packages including Data Entry Builder She has experience with data collection, data input and both qualitative and quantitative analysis. She has worked on a number of projects including DWP – the use of ICT on European Social Fund supported projects, Review of the Staff Individualised record for the LSC National Office and an Evaluation of Skills for Business / Skills for Employment for ELWa. She is currently working on a project for ELWa -maintaining sectoral factsheets for Wales and Positive Activities for Young People programme, a cross governmental department initiative aimed at reducing youth related crime, promoting reengagement in education and encouraging community cohesions for young people aged between 8-19.

Paula Shinton

Paula graduated from Cardiff University with a joint honours in Social Policy and Journalism, Flim and Broadcasting. Since joining CRG she has contributed to a diverse range of projects including The Mid Term Evaluations of both Objective One and Objective Three European Funding Programmes conducted on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government, the evaluation of the Communities First Support Network and Trust Fund on behalf of the same, assessment of the Positive Activities for Young People Programme conducted on behalf of the DfES, a more recent project involving a review of self diagnostic leadership and management online tools conducted on behalf of ELWa and a project for the Tourism Training Forum for Wales which involved the development of a criteria matrix and application form for the "Learning to Succeed – Best Practice" award which was aimed at the full array of training providers within the Tourism sector. Her current schedule is also combined with studying for an MSc in Social Research Methods with the Open University.

Richard Self

Richard graduated from Cardiff University with a MSc (Econ) in Social Science Research Methods, and also has a BSc Hons in Psychology and Sociology from Plymouth University. Richard has recently joined CRG full-time after six years working as an independent research consultant. Richard is an experienced interviewer and has worked with a wide range of clients from the education, voluntary and statutory sectors. Richard has recently finished work with Gwent Police and was also involved in CRG's evaluation of the Modern Apprenticeship Implementation Fund for the LSC.

Priya Mendes

Priya holds a first degree in marketing and an MBA from Cardiff University. Prior to joining CRG, Priya worked as a Research Assistant for Cardiff Business School conducting quantitative research. This included work on a collaborative partnership with the Institute of Management, creating a unique database that will enable comparisons of managerial attitudes and behaviour over 20 years. Priya also taught on the MBA programme in Organisation Behaviour, Personnel Management and Industrial Relations. She has expertise in survey design, conducting qualitative and quantitative research and analysis of data sets. Recent work for CRG has included a number of projects such as customer satisfaction survey for ELWa, Policing Funding Formula for Greater Manchester Police, DfES: Unengaged adults in Birmingham and LSC community consultation exercise in South West Derby. In addition, she facilitates a Leadership and Management Programme (LAMP) for a local council.

Juliet Williams

Juliet, our Office Manager/Administrator is a graduate of History and Welsh from Aberystwyth University. She also holds a Post-graduate Certificate of Education and RSA Diploma for Personal Assistants. She has worked mostly as a PA in industry at Chairman/Chief Executive level and has considerable experience in office administration.

Karen Chalk

Karen graduated from Swansea University with a degree in English. She has a variety of academic and social research experience, including postgraduate degrees in Housing and Social Science Research Methods (both with the City and Regional Planning Department of Cardiff University). Her Housing MSc thesis researched the extent to which a large supported housing organisation enabled their tenants to achieve the stated aim of 'normal patterns of life in the community'. She progressed to work in Research and Development for that organisation where she initiated and developed an ICT project for staff and tenants. Previously she has also worked for a voluntary sector organisation which was based in an area of considerable social disadvantage; she was involved in Objective 1 and Communities First partnerships and was responsible for securing funding for their alternative curriculum projects.

Claire Underwood

Claire graduated with a Masters degree in International Business and prior to that a BA in Law with Business. Her MBA dissertation investigated the motivational and productive impacts of non-financial forms of reward in the workplace and her BA dissertation looked at Section 8 orders of the Children’s Act. Claire has also worked for the Wales Tourist Board in International Marketing where she worked on Showcase, The National Tourism Awards and Tourism Clusters which provides advice to Welsh tourism businesses on how to penetrate overseas markets. Claire recently joined CRG as a Research Consultant, becoming an integral part of the PAYP evaluation team as well as working on the evaluation of National Vocational Qualification Quality Improvement Programme.

Thomas Holt

Tom graduated from Durham University with a joint honours degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, and joined CRG as a Research Analyst, having previously worked at the national office of the Learning and Skills Council. His responsibilities at the LSC and CRG have included project management and method design for the worked based learning follow up survey, covering all students having recently left NVQ courses. He has also worked extensively on the mid-term evaluation of European Structural Funds in Wales and a number of other projects at CRG. He is familiar with statistical methods and has a good knowledge of SPSS, Microsoft Access and other computer applications.