Rachel Whilby

Rachel K. Whilby is a Senior Research Associate on the Research & Evaluation team at CSW. In this role, she supports the design and implementation of research and evaluation initiatives focused on strengthening workforce development systems and advancing equitable outcomes for marginalized groups.

Rachel has led and managed complex, multi-partner projects, including having served as project manager for CAEL and Truist Foundation’s Where It Starts: Build Better Careers initiative and project lead for California’s Breaking Barriers to Employment evaluation. She is currently leading the Greater New Orleans Foundation sector partnership evaluation and is the labor market information (LMI) lead for the State University of New York (SUNY) Value-Added Degrees CoPs initiative. Her expertise includes quantitative research, evaluation design, and facilitation, with experience supporting projects such as Young Adult Workforce Landscape Analysis (YAWLA), California’s Regional Equity and Recovery Partnership (RERP) evaluation, and the Partnering Economic & Employment Research (PEER) Academy. Rachel has facilitated workshops and presentations for workforce development professionals on topics including quantitative and qualitative data collection, survey development, trauma and resilience, and equity-informed research practices.

Rachel brings a background in K–12 special education, with experience supporting students at the classroom, school leadership, and district levels. Prior to joining CSW, she served as Assistant Director at Fusion Academy in Atlanta, where she led academic programming and supported teachers in meeting students’ academic and social-emotional goals. She also held a research role at The Windward School in New York, where she analyzed assessment data to inform programming and presented research at national conferences, including the International Dyslexia Association and the National Association of Independent Schools. Rachel is also a former Education Pioneers Fellow, where she supported the New York City Department of Education in evaluating the Specialized High School Admissions Test School Day program pilot.

Rachel attended Emory University where she double majored in Educational Studies and Sociology. She holds advanced degrees in Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation and Sociology and Education from Boston College Lynch School of Education and Columbia University Teachers College, respectively.