TIG Leadership

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Evan Kuras, Co-Chair

Evan believes that we live on a marvelous planet, full of wonder, color, and love. Evaluation is one of Evan's chosen ways to care for the planet, by using data, learning, and reflection to help organizations and institutions make better decisions for communities and ecosystems.

As EPE TIG Co-Chair, Evan hopes to do his part to strengthen the environmental evaluation community and sector as a whole.

For his day job, Evan is an Evaluation Consultant at Data+Soul Research. He focuses on projects in the environmental sector, spanning green workforce development, environmental education, and transportation justice, with an emphasis on coalition building and social system mapping. Evan earned his MS in Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst and his BA in Biology at Boston University. Connect with Evan on LinkedIn!

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Veronica Worthington, Co-Chair

Veronica is a macro social worker that believes in the power of evaluation as a tool for advancing social justice and driving real-time responses to environmental and social challenges. She is passionate about connecting diverse perspectives and bridging gaps across systems, whether aligning community priorities and institutional frameworks or nurturing collaborations across disciplines, to inform more responsive and equitable systems.

As an EPE TIG Co-Chair, Veronica hopes to help strengthen and connect the environmental evaluation community and foster deeper collaboration across fields, ensuring that research/evaluation not only reflects the realities of our communities and ecosystems, but also contributes to more equitable and sustainable futures.

Veronica is currently a Research Associate at Public Policy Associates, where she contributes to projects related to healthy communities, food systems, housing, criminal justice, education, and workforce development, across Michigan and nationally. She earned her Master of Social Work with a concentration in Leadership and Social Change from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and her BA in Psychology from Winthrop University, with minors in Criminal Justice and International & Global Studies.

Outside of work, Veronica enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, traveling, and spending time in nature. Connect with Veronica on LinkedIn!

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Rupu Gupta, Program Co-Chair

Rupu is a conservation psychologist interested in what motivates people to take care of nature and the environments they inhabit. The foundation for her work is understanding the culturally nuanced ways people experience interconnected social and natural systems and support a mutually beneficial relationship with nature.

She considers evaluation as a pathway to apply social science and create impact for individuals, organizations, and society. Using mixed methods, her research and evaluation has studied equitable and inclusive practices in the environmental sector, community engagement processes in climate resilience contexts, and E-STEM learning pathways in informal and formal education. She is fascinated by the myriad approaches and practices guiding environment-focused evaluators, and views her leadership role in the EPE TIG as a community builder and connector of many perspectives.

She is currently at the Hudson River Foundation in the role of Senior Scientist for Social Sciences and Evaluation. At the Foundation, she is leading the development and management of a new social science research program and an organizational evaluation framework.

In her spare time, she enjoys photographing nature everywhere, sketching, and writing poetry. Connect with Rupu on LinkedIn!

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David Hanson, Program Co-Chair

David is a passionate advocate for utilizing evaluation and social science as tools for liberation and social justice. In particular, he believes that evaluation, when done right, can dismantle systemic oppression and promote equitable futures, particularly for marginalized and underrepresented communities. He is committed to centering community voices, challenging dominant narratives, and using data and insights for advocacy and liberation.

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Taylor B. Anderson, Website Coordinator

Taylor is a systems thinker and aspiring futurist continuously inspired by her community and energized by context-aware innovations. She got her start as frontline staff in environmental stewardship and inclusive sports and play programs.

Taylor's dedication to environmental and evaluative work stems from understanding how ecosystem health deeply connects to economic resilience and community wellbeing, and how thoughtful data practices can amplify and accelerate the impact of organizations working toward more just and thriving futures. Through Public Profit, she partners with mission-driven organizations to support their evaluations, learning, and strategy.

Taylor’s formal training is in sustainable economic development, applied statistics, and system dynamics. She earned an MS in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics from the University at Buffalo and BAs in Economics and Environmental Studies from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Beyond work, Taylor is an avid nature explorer - usually biking, sometimes foraging, and always appreciating the flora, fauna, and fungi. Connect with her on LinkedIn!