The staff spotlight series celebrates and elevates all the people who make the UI College of Education such a special place to work. This spotlight recognizes the critical contributions our staff members make to the College of Education community in support of our faculty and students.
Diana Brace has worked as an Evaluation Specialist in the Center for Evaluation and Assessment (CEA) for two years. In this role, Brace works with clients to assess their evaluation needs, including creating instruments for data collection, analyzing data, and communicating data to clients and partners in a meaningful, actionable way. The CEA has successfully completed more than 150 evaluations for various clients and sponsors.
Prior to joining the college, Brace worked at a literacy nonprofit in downtown Atlanta for seven years as an adult education instructor and program manager, as well as the organization’s program administrator, which managed federal funding. She also taught every level – from emergent readers to those working on General Education Development (GED) certificate test prep. Brace also volunteered with Canine CellMates, a dog training program located in the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, where she tutored men interested in obtaining their GED diploma, improving their reading and writing.
Brace received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa in 2005, with a concentration in English. She also received a teaching certification in Secondary English Education from the UI College of Education in 2008.
In 2012, Brace obtained a Master of Science in Education (MS Ed) at Indiana University-Bloomington. Her thesis focused on the literacy practices of GED students who were incarcerated at the local jail.
She is currently in dissertation mode, working on her doctorate in the Educational Policy and Leadership Studies Department, focusing on adult education federal policy. Her projected graduation date is fall 2025.
What does your job with the CEA entail?
Working with CEA clients to evaluate programs. It's a lot a of data collection, analysis, and report writing.
For the past two years, I’ve worked with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) All of Us Program Center (NAPC).
The NAPC is a multi-institutional program that coordinates engagement and training activities offered by the NNLM in support of the NIH All of Us Research Program.
Using community-based participatory methods, we’ve evaluated various health programming and training pilots. The NAPC-funded public libraries to develop health programming, partner with local health providers, and increase technology and resource access for library users to improve health literacy. The coolest project I’ve worked on was with StoryCorps to evaluate and pilot a toolkit for public libraries on how to engage in and share conversations about health in their communities.
What is your favorite part about working at the College of Education?
My supervisor, Asih, and our colleagues. They are kind, open, and hilarious. I also love being part of the college that I had the honor of graduating from way back in the day.
What is your favorite memory as a Hawkeye?
Probably meeting my partner, Jeff, while we were both undergraduates here and working at the Iowa City Public Library. I also really appreciated and valued the hard work of COGS to increase equity for graduate students during the pandemic before I was full-time staff.
What are your hobbies, interests, or special talents? What would colleagues be surprised to know about you?
Reading, being outdoors, baking, puzzling, playing with my four-year-old. They may be surprised to know I lived in Atlanta for seven years and am a diehard Atlanta United fan.
Where is your favorite place to eat in downtown Iowa City?
A grilled cheese from Mickey's with crinkle cut fries is my go-to comfort food.
What is something on campus that you look forward to participating in or doing?
I look forward to attending more women's soccer games this year!
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? (No limitations)
New Zealand
Visit the Celebrating College of Education staff page to nominate a colleague. Self nominations are also welcome.
