Welcoming Larry Onokpite to the ElevateDD Team
I recently joined ElevateDD as its first Data and Evaluation Manager. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the organization’s mission, and I am also mindful of what it means to be “first.” The work itself is not new. For years, people across ElevateDD have been thoughtfully collecting information, learning from programs, responding to community needs, and finding ways to understand the impact of the organization’s work. I am stepping into something that has already been shaped by many generous and committed hands.
So, I do not see my role as starting from scratch. I see it as stepping into big shoes: honouring what has already been built while helping us imagine what might come next. I hope to do that through collaboration and creativity. As Data and Evaluation Manager, I help strengthen how ElevateDD uses data to evaluate programs, understand impact, support strategic decisions, and turn information into insights we can use. Ultimately, the goal is to help ensure that our work continues to respond meaningfully to the evolving needs of the communities we serve.
What I love most about data is that there are always stories behind the numbers. Data can show us where something works beautifully. It can also make us stop, ask better questions, change direction, or recommit ourselves to something that matters. I look forward to helping tell those stories – celebrating progress, opening possibilities for redirection, and deepening our resolve through data and evaluation.
I also come to this work as a researcher and educator. I graduated from The Ohio State University this summer with a PhD in Special Education, with a focus on reading disabilities, literacy, and cognition. During my four years of doctoral study, I worked as a graduate research associate at West Central School, operated by the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities. There, I worked directly with the students and collaborated with teachers and specialists around student planning, outcomes, research, and design. Also, I have moved into a Visiting Faculty position at Ohio State University.
My academic journey has taken me through a few places and disciplines. I hold an M.Ed. in Literacies, Languages, and Literature, and a B.Ed. (Hons) from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, a B.A. in Philosophy from St Joseph’s Theological Institute, South Africa, and an associate degree in Science (Biology) Education from Delta State University in Nigeria. I also serve
as a reviewer for academic journals and conferences across special education and disability.
When I am not thinking about research, evaluation, or stories hiding in data, there is a good chance I am running. Columbus is a wonderful city to explore on foot, and I have enjoyed discovering its trails and becoming part of the local running community. This Fall, I will run my fifth full marathon.
In some ways, running and evaluation have a lot in common. You get to pay attention to where you are, learn from what the journey is telling you, adjust along the way, and keep moving toward where you hope to go. I am excited to begin this next stretch with ElevateDD, and I look forward to sharing some of what we learn along the way.
