Capability

 

Principal

Susan Eliot, MSPH

Owner, Principal 

My passion and purpose in life is to give voice to those who are disenfranchised. Whether they lack voice because they are low income, live in a rural area, speak a different language, are a different color, lack education, or work for an employer who does not value their input, my job is to figure out the best way to genuinely listen and convey their message in its purest and truest form to those who have the power and resources to make a difference. 

For the past 15 years I have partnered with numerous nonprofits,  governmental agencies, academic institutions, and grant-making agencies to design and implement practical, useful evaluations and research studies. My approach is grounded in my intense curiosity and respect for what others have to say.

My broad expertise spans both qualitative and quantitative methods but my passion and primary skill is in qualitative methods. I have been mentored by some of the best qualitative researchers in the field, namely David Morgan PhD (Portland State University), Richard Krueger PhD (University of Minnesota), Lynn Lofland PhD (University of California, Davis) and Amedeo Giorgi ( Duquesne University).

I continually integrate what I learn into sound, situationally responsive approaches that consider, not only the research agenda, but the unique characteristics of the study population. Whether it's conducting a focus group in someone's home, using a two-person interview technique with expert interviewees, or orchestrating a case study within a complex program, I customize methods in a way that balances respect for respondents and their preferences for sharing information with the acquisition of quality, useful data.

For a copy of my CV, click here.

For a select list of qualitative work I've completed, click here.

 

Associates

 

David Morgan, PhD

Professor of Sociology, Portland State University

 

Maggie Miller, MA

Maggie Miller Consulting Services

 

Margaret Beth Neal, PhD

Institute on Aging, Portland State University

 

Paula Carder, PhD

Institute on Aging, Portland State University

 

Judy Gordon, MS

Judy Gordon Writing, Editing, Indexing

 

Paul Gorman, MD

Oregon Health and Science University