In this interview we introduce PPA’s first graphic design associate, Caroline Brent-Chessum! She joins PPA after holding positions at MEF Associates and Insight Policy Research, supporting projects across all policy areas and collaborating with research teams to transform raw data into visually compelling graphics, charts, and infographics. At PPA, she works within our different policy areas to design and format reports, presentations, proposals, and other dissemination materials. Her expertise includes desktop publishing, graphic design, template development, and document remediation for Section 508 compliance. Welcome to the team!
What drew you to working in the world of evaluation and research?
I sort of fell into it a little bit on purpose and a little bit by accident. I originally went to grad school at CMU (Carnegie Mellon, not Central Michigan!) planning to work in the performing arts nonprofit sector. I focused on marketing and communications along with organizational design and structure. After graduation, I was working at a nonprofit and figuring out my next move when I took a job at Insight Policy Research (later Westat Insight) doing document design and formatting work. That unexpectedly became a career path I absolutely loved, working at the intersection of research and design.
What pulled me in was working directly with complex research products and figuring out how to make them more readable and usable. I became interested in that gap between strong analysis and whether it actually reaches and gets used in practice.
One thing we like to say at PPA is “Better Public Policy for a Better World.” What does that mean to you?
To me, that means recognizing that good policy only works if people can understand it, access it, and engage with it. I’m passionate about translating between different audiences (researchers, policymakers, clients, communities), and I don’t think strong research automatically creates impact if the information is inaccessible or difficult to navigate. Ultimately, better policy is about helping people more easily understand and access the programs and services intended to support them. Even if my role is behind the scenes, that kind of translation work feels meaningful to me.
What do you look forward to doing here at PPA?
I’m really excited about collaborating with people who care deeply about their work and finding ways to elevate and support that work visually and strategically. For me, the goal is less about making a document look nice and more about making the underlying research easier to navigate and engage with. I also really enjoy helping research teams free up time so they can focus on analysis while I focus on clarity, structure, and presentation.
Honestly, I just enjoy being the person who obsesses over the visual details, so researchers don’t have to.
Graphic design feels like the future for reporting. How do see these fields working together?
I think research and graphic design are becoming increasingly interconnected as people consume information differently; a brilliant report can sit in a drawer if it’s visually impenetrable or overwhelming. Good design helps research travel further. It can energize an audience, clarify complex findings, and make it more likely that findings are absorbed and used. More dynamic deliverables often lead to more engaged clients, which supports implementation and impact.
Presentation affects credibility, and beyond aesthetics, thoughtful design choices make information more accessible to a wider range of readers.
Our staff are based all around the country. Where are you located? How do you feel about working remotely?
I recently moved to the greater Orlando suburbs, but I’m originally from the northern Virginia/Washington, DC area. I’ve been working remotely since 2016, and I’ve telecommuted from four states during that time. Remote work has been a game changer in allowing me to maintain continuity in my career while providing consistency and stability to my family. And at a small firm like PPA, no day ever looks the same, and there’s already so much camaraderie and connectivity baked into the culture here.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I spend most of my days chasing after my twin daughters. In rare moments when I’m not doing that, I love to experiment in the kitchen, spend an absurd amount of time at the library, and pretend I know how to knit. I’m also an avid classical music fan (my undergrad degree), and being married to a theatre professor has its perks; I see a lot of shows and concerts.
I have to ask, can we convince you to sing a song at one of our office parties?
Ha! Only if it turns into a very niche, Baroque-themed office party.