TExas Evaluation Network

Schedule

Thursday, March 27, 2025

 9:00 am – 4:30 pm CST

Immediately following the conclusion of the Virtual Institute join us at 5:30pm CST for Local Meetups across Texas hosted by friends of TEN including current and past members!

TEN 2025 Institute _ program and registration.pdf

Registration Now Open

General admission:

• $50 as member
• $75 as non-member
• Student admission:
• $25 as member
• $35 as non-member

Click here to register

This year's Institute features over 40 sessions led by emerging and experienced evaluators from Texas and beyond. They will share highlights from their shared journey of growth and learning in evaluation.

The Virtual Institute will kick-off with a keynote address featuring Elizabeth Grim, Libby Smith, Deven Wisner. 

Unraveling the Status Quo: Rooting into our Values

What does it mean to root deeply into our values—and how might that change the ways we approach our work, our teams, and the systems we navigate? As we enter this session together, we’ll begin by getting present in our bodies and in the virtual space, reconnecting with the purpose that drives us. From there, we’ll explore values as radical commitments: active principles that shape our decisions, guide our actions, and reflect what we hold most essential. Recognizing that evaluation—and all forms of inquiry—are never neutral, we’ll examine how defining and practicing our values can disrupt assumptions of objectivity and bring us into greater alignment. We’ll also explore the power of intentional reflection and embodiment practices for staying accountable, challenging dominant narratives, and showing up as fully human in our work so we can invite in more of the humanity of those we serve. We maintain that values are not just ideas; they are living commitments to ourselves, to one another, and to a more connected and just world. This interactive keynote will leave you inspired to reflect on and embody your values with clarity, intention, and purpose.

Elizabeth Grim (she/her) is an evaluator, facilitator, and speaker. As the Founder and CEO of Elizabeth Grim Consulting, LLC, she has over a decade of experience supporting purpose-driven organizations engage in authentic conversations and collaborations that strengthen strategies, honor collective wisdom, and promote equity. Known for her creativity, humor, and truth telling, Elizabeth brings an interdisciplinary and human approach to her work so that we can dismantle the status quo and grapple with the hard questions. Much of her evaluation portfolio has centered on evaluation planning and capacity strengthening to support nonprofits and foundations to develop robust learning and evaluation strategies that are aligned with their vision and values. Elizabeth has a Masters in Public Health and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Virginia. She previously served as the President of the Eastern Evaluation Research Society and currently serves as the Curator for AEA365, the daily blog of the American Evaluation Association.

Libby Smith (she/they) is an organizational wellness coach and Senior Advisor at Viable Insights. She is committed to guiding individuals and organizations on a journey of rediscovering their humanity. Through her nearly 30-year career in evaluation, management, and organizational development they have witnessed the wide-ranging effects of disconnection, as well as the profound impact of deep connection - to self & others. As a facilitator and Circle keeper, she helps people remember and reclaim interdependent relationships in the workplace. Through the transformative power of breathwork, somatic practice, and Circle facilitation, Libby seeks to cultivate a fully embodied sense of presence & compassion. Her work is deeply informed by Emergent Strategy (adrienne maree brown), politicized/cultural somatics (via generative somatics and Staci K. Haines), and a Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Deven Wisner (he/him) is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Viable Insights, an organizational development and program evaluation firm based in Tucson, Arizona, with a national reach. As a multi-passionate entrepreneur, Deven is dedicated to guiding the development of a collective why and connecting teams to shared outcomes. His human-centered approach addresses problematic power dynamics and systematic issues, fostering a comfortable space for change and action. With formal training in industrial-organizational psychology and program evaluation, coupled with extensive experience as a founder and leader of multiple companies, Deven champions a data-informed, evidence-based, and measurable methodology that emphasizes pragmatic, action-focused solutions. Rather than assuming an expert-and-client dynamic, Deven strives to be a true partner, bringing complementary expertise, skills, and tools to the teams he collaborates with. This collaborative approach has proven successful across various sectors, as evidenced by his role as a trusted advisor to Fortune 10 companies (including Walmart, Macy’s, and Gap Inc.), community-based organizations, non-profit institutions (such as the University of Arizona, United Way, Goodwill, and Mercy Care), and startups in different stages of growth.

TEN Institute