Site Logo
  • Home
  • About Us
  • News
  • Our Services
Home News SPOTLIGHT ON: Senior Research Associate Nathalie Winans

SPOTLIGHT ON: Senior Research Associate Nathalie Winans

May 23, 2022

Nathalie Winans brings creativity, critical thinking, and a broad skill set to her work at Public Policy Associates. She embeds a commitment to equity and inclusion in her research, helping clients identify disparities and create more equitable programs. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Michigan State University.

What makes you interested in public policy?

We’re all affected by public policy, whether we like it or not. Public policy decisions can make the world a better place, or they can make it worse. Good research points policymakers in the right direction. Things like income inequality, or disparities in food, child care, or incarceration rates don’t just happen by themselves. They result from policy decisions. Our work helps our clients make well-informed policy decisions that improve programs and results for those they serve.

What policy areas do you specialize in?

I have a master’s in urban planning, and recently helped assemble a statewide housing plan in Michigan. I worked with the Michigan Sense of Place Council a few years ago to devise strategies to create communities that are fun, pleasant, and desirable. I’ve also done a lot of research on workforce development efforts across the country, as well as in other areas like food security and child care policy.

What types of research do you do?

I mostly focus on qualitative research, although I do quantitative research as well. I write proposals, design research and develop research tools, take the research out in the field, and analyze the data. I enjoy leading focus groups and hearing the stories that sometimes get discounted or de-emphasized in research that centers on quantitative data. When people of a similar background are talking to each other and bouncing ideas off each other, we uncover interesting insights.

Why is it important to take an inclusive approach to public policy research?

Number one, it’s the right thing to do. It’s wrong to sweep into a community, extract data, and just leave. We have to respect people’s viewpoints, and the time and effort they expend to share their insights. You also get better data if you approach research from an equitable and culturally appropriate perspective. For example, I speak Spanish, but maybe I’m not the best person, as a white person from Michigan, to conduct a focus group of native Spanish speakers. Maybe they would feel more comfortable interacting with a native Spanish speaker. When people feel respected and listened to, and they trust you and feel compensated for their contributions, they are more likely to provide really honest and sincere responses to your questions.

How does research support equitable policy?

Part of it is understanding that if someone isn’t well served by a program, it isn’t necessarily just an individual’s problem. We help identify the systemic inequities and the ways that programs put up roadblocks that make it hard to serve people. Taking a systemic lens toward interpreting data is really important. We’re fortunate that just about all the people we are working with have their hearts in the right place and are trying to do the right thing and create programs that address these challenges.

Share: Twitter - Facebook - LinkedIn
Workforce System Needs to Report Outcomes by Race, Ethnicity
Policies to Keep Justice-Involved Youth Safe During COVID-19: Findings Presented at National Conference

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
© Copyright 2023
Public Policy Associates
119 Pere Marquette Drive Suite 1C
Lansing, MI 48912-1231
Phone: 517-485-4477