Dr. Paula Caffer

Dr. Caffer is an entrepreneur of ideas, specializing in ideation and solutions for social problems. She has been involved in several projects to evaluate programs in leadership development and DEI learning. As a Leader in Equitable Evaluation and Diversity (LEEAD) Scholar, she employs culturally responsive and equitable evaluation methods to assess the implementation of innovative solutions. In her role as an Assistant Professor in the Ph.D. Program, Dr. Caffer focuses on career and leadership development, the impact of biases on decision-making and strategies to mitigate them, culturally responsive and inclusive collaborative processes, and the ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Dr. Caffer worked extensively as a multilingual/multicultural global leadership advisor in Latin America, Africa, the Asia Pacific Region, and the U.S. Dr. Caffer has considerable experience collaborating with women’s grassroots organizations in the Global South and was a former Associate Director for Women’s Global Connection, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

Ph.D., International Education & Entrepreneurship
University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, Texas

M.A., Political Sociology
Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar)
São Paulo, Brazil

Specialization in Consumer Law, Environmental Law, and Class Action
Escola Superior de Advocacia da Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil (OAB-ESA)
São Paulo, Brazil

Juris Doctor
Faculdade de Direito de São Carlos
São Paulo, Brazil

Bachelor of Social Sciences
Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar)
São Paulo, Brazil

Advanced Study in Evaluation Certificate
Claremont Graduate University, The Claremont Colleges
Claremont, California

High-Performance Mindset—Compete to Create (2021)

Intercultural Development Inventory Qualifies Administrator—IDI, LLC (2019)

Return on Investment (ROI), ROI Institute (2019)

High-Performance Leadership, Cornell University (2018)

Predictive Index—Oliver Group (2017)

Crucial Conversations—Vital Smarts (2016)

Civil Treatment—ELI, Inc. (2016)

Diversity and Inclusion Business Partner
- LAR/Ukraine/CIS/Russia/Africa

Brown-Forman Corporation
– 2021-2023

Manager of Diversity and Inclusion
– Brown-Forman Corporation – 2016-2021

Program Development and Evaluation Consultant
– 2014-2016

Director of Development, Village Network Africa
– 2009-2011

Associate Director of International Program, Women’s Global Connection
– 2003-2009

Introduction to Inquiry/Introduction to Educational Research, Research in Entrepreneurship, Capstone in Kinesiology and Education, Concepts of Leadership, Contemporary International Issues in Higher Education, Dissertation Writing.

Recent Publications:

Caffer, P., Brisolara, S., Jefferson, Anna & Hernandez, A. (2024). Ethnographic Inquiry in Program Evaluation: Ensuring Authenticity and Cultural Responsiveness. Hopson, R. (Editor), Studies in Educational Ethnography series. Cambridge, MA: Emerald Publishing. In press.

 

Recent Presentations:

Caffer, P., Espinoza, C., St. Clair, N. (2024, May). Ethical AI in Higher Education. 20th International Congress in Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI), Champaign-Urbana, IL (May 15-18).

Caffer, P. (2024, May). Action Research and Organizational Ethnography as Alternatives for Evaluating Leadership Development (LD). 20th International Congress in Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI), Champaign-Urbana, IL (May 15-18). 

Goodnight, M., Bustos, T., Liboon, C., Caffer, P., & Hernandez, A. (2024, October). Theories Bridging Ethnography and Evaluation. Accepted for the 2024 Evaluation Annual Conference for the American Evaluation Association (AEA), Portland, OR.

Love, AS, Niu, C, Labay-Marquez, J, Caffer, P, Hernandez, A, Valadez, R. (2024, October). Building Skills in AI Integration for Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach. Accepted for the 2024 Evaluation Annual Conference for the American Evaluation Association (AEA), Portland, OR.

 

External Grants:

K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) Expanding Equity Program 2020, a program in partnership with McKinsey & Company, offered at no cost to for-profit organizations selected through an application process (granted).

Leadership (e.g., officer, board member)

2018 - 2023 Appointed as Diversity Advisory Member for the American Red Cross

2019 - 2023 Appointed as Advisory Member of the IncLOUsion ERG Advisory Council, The Leadership Louisville Center

2019 - 2023 Appointed Governance Chair, Francis Parker School of Louisville (former St. Francis School)

 

Active Membership:

2014 - present American Evaluation Association

2024 - current Comparative and International Education Society (CIES)

2023 - present Texas Evaluation Network 2023 - present Evaluator’s Breakfast Club

2023 - present Professional unLearning Community for Equitable Evaluation (PulC:EE)

1998 - present Brazilian BAR Association

2022 Expanding the Bench
Leaders in Equitable Evaluation and Diversity—LEEAD Scholar Practicum Site: Abt Associates, Social and Economic Policy Division (SEP) Practicum Project: Updating “Five Principles of Effective Financial Education” with an equity lens for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

2021 Brown-Forman Corp., Global Division
Recipient of the Growing Outstanding Women (GROW) ERG “Spirited People of the Present” International Award

Service to the Profession:

Harvard Business Review Advisory Council Member (August 2024)
American Evaluation Association (AEA) Conference “Amplifying and Empowering Voices in Evaluation 2024” - AEA Research on Evaluation Topical Interest Group (TIG) Proposals Reviewer

Service to the Community:

2024, Jan. - present Career Coach, Dress for Success

Service to the University (2021-Present):

Dreeben School of Education Search Committee (2024)

Mission Academy 2024-2025