Sarah Dyson

Associate

Sarah Dyson is an Associate at Basis Policy Research, where she specializes in program evaluation and data analysis focused on improving outcomes for children in both education and child welfare systems. Sarah works at this critical intersection, designing evidence-based strategies that strengthen support systems for vulnerable populations. She currently leads the North Carolina Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention Pilot Program, designing research-practice-policy partnerships to grow the support network for children in foster care.

Prior to joining Basis, Sarah served as an Evaluation Scientist in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she focused on the prevention of child maltreatment. She also worked for the National Center for Rural Education Research Networks, engaging in research-practice-partnerships designed to increase post-secondary access for rural student populations. Her expertise in both education policy and child welfare enables her to address complex challenges.

Sarah holds a PhD in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Methodist University. When she’s not working, Sarah can be found volunteering in her local public schools, reading “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy,” and remembering not to panic.