CSI Staff
Mary Kane, M.S.; President & CEO
Mary Kane is the Chief Executive and Principal Consultant at Concept Systems. Having built the company from a single person "shop" to a well-regarded consulting and methodology company, Ms. Kane has restructured the Concept System project methodology and client processes to ensure that organizations benefit fully from CSI's capabilities. Her consulting experience includes strategic operational planning, product and program development, education and training design, and program needs assessment and evaluation. She supports clients, in addition, with organizational and leadership development consultations. With clients and research colleagues, she has coauthored several articles on the applications of Concept Mapping and Pattern Matching in organizational decision-making and strategic planning. Ms. Kane is co-author of the definitive volume on Concept Mapping: Concept Mapping for Planning and Evaluation (Sage Publications, 2007).
For over 15 years, Ms. Kane has planned and conducted process and group consulting for federal, state and county agencies, health and mental health organizations, private corporations, not-for-profit agencies, and school districts. She has provided consulting counsel to groups ranging from small boards of directors to organizations represented by thousands of stakeholders.
Ms. Kane co-founded and became the principal executive of CSI in 1993 after a successful career in the management and growth of community-based cultural and learning organizations. Under her leadership, the Company has invested in the redevelopment of the software and process technology, and expanded the scope of CSI methods and services to meet clients' needs even more effectively. Ms. Kane holds a Masters degree in Library and Information Sciences from Columbia University.
Scott R. Rosas, Ph.D.; Senior Consultant
Dr. Rosas is a Senior Consultant with Concept Systems. He has more than 10 years of evaluation experience, having led several multi-site evaluation projects. As the lead for several evaluation projects at CSI, he facilitates all aspects of the design and implementation of the evaluation components, including the development of data collection tools, protocols for administration, and analyses of data. Dr. Rosas is an expert in the design and use of the concept mapping methodology, having conducted concept mapping projects with local and national clients.
Dr. Rosas serves as the primary methodologist for CSI, leading the applied investigation of complex problems in social sciences and biomedical research. He has published and presented on methods, techniques, and practices in evaluation. His emphasis of late has been on measurement approaches developed from concept mapping, with attention to the assessment of the validity and reliability of data collection tools. At CSI, he leads the formal study of the concept mapping methodology and its application.
Since 2000, Dr. Rosas has been a member of American Evaluation Association (AEA) and previously served as a member of the AEA's standing committee on ethics. He received his PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Delaware, with an emphasis on program evaluation.
Ellen Slusar, B.S.; Senior Director of Operations and Finance
Ms. Slusar's role as Senior Director of Operations and Finance includes leadership responsibility for CSI operations, human resources, financial management, contract management, vendor/contractor relationships, and managing the Company's strategic planning.
Over the past twenty five years, Ms. Slusar has held a wide range of business management positions. Her most recent position prior to joining CSI was as the Managing Director/Business Manager at Marsteller, an integrated communications firm based out of New York City. Her extensive experience includes strategic planning to support large revenue growth and company investments in new strategic capabilities, full service financial reporting and analysis, as well as Sarbanes Oxley compliance requirements. Ms. Slusar is a graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.
Brenda K. Pepe, B.A.; Client Services Consultant
Ms. Pepe has over six years of experience in planning, design, and facilitation of concept mapping and participatory based research. She works closely with clients and colleagues, managing relationships and helping to deliver quality services. She manages CS Global Sales and Development initiatives, which includes management and consulting for CS Global Research Services and working with the CSI team and developers on CS Global technology advancements.
Ms. Pepe has served as project manager on over 30 projects in the areas of strategic planning, needs assessment, and evaluation. Her accomplishments include managing and facilitating the concept mapping and priority setting strategies for developing a National Public Health Roadmap to Maintaining Cognitive Health for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Adult and Community Health, overall management of a needs assessment project for developing competencies in chronic disease practice to educate practice professionals for public health impact for the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), and conducting a process evaluation of the Delaware Cancer Consortium's first four years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Anthropology from City University of New York and has nearly completed her Master of Public Affairs and Administration degree.
Alyssa Goldman, M.S.; Client Services Consultant
Ms. Goldman began her work at CSI in October 2010. As a Client Services Consultant, she assists senior consultants in all aspects of project management including: project design and planning, setting deliverables, statement synthesis, preliminary interpretations, and final reporting.
Prior to joining the CSI team, Ms. Goldman worked at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management as a Visiting Scholar in the Management and Organizations Department, where she assisted faculty members with research projects and course development. Ms. Goldman holds a Masters degree in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Government from Cornell University.
Marie Cope, M.P.H., M.S.W.; Client Services Consultant
Ms. Cope began her position at CSI in December 2010. Her primary focus at CSI is public sector planning, evaluation, and research. She works closely with senior consultants on the planning, design, tracking, and managing of large, multi-stream, multi-phase projects. Prior to coming to CSI, Ms. Cope worked at the University of Michigan as a Project Director for a Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women grant to educate the campus on sexualized violence and to strengthen the coordinated community response team, including through policies and protocol reform.
Her other prior experience includes work in social services, such as Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor, MI) and Washtenaw County Public Health Department, as well as work in research, evaluation, marketing, and development. She holds a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree and a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) degree from the University of Michigan, with a focus on health behavior, health education, and community organizing.
Michael Huffman, M.B.A.; Associate Manager of Operations
Mr. Huffman is an Associate Manager of Operations, and he works closely with the sales and operations teams to manage and conduct license sales, project management requirements, and technology support for clients and teams. Mr. Huffman is the primary contact person for training and license sales. He also manages a range of internal operations for Concept Systems, Inc.
Before joining the CSI team in April of 2008, Mr. Huffman worked as an accountant within several departments at Cornell University. He brings experience in finance, accounting, and marketing to CSI. He is a graduate of Alfred University in Alfred, New York, receiving both his Bachelor and Master Degrees in Business Administration.
Jennifer Royer, M.P.A.; Client Services Associate
Ms. Royer joined CSI in September 2011 as a Client Services Associate. She assists the staff at Concept Systems, Inc. with various aspects of internal operations, as well as assisting lead consultants and project managers in all aspects of client projects.
Prior to joining the CSI team, Ms. Royer worked at the Broome County Legislature as a deputy clerk. During her four years there she provided assistance to Broome County Legislators and other county department personnel, in addition to updating the county's FOIL Program. Ms. Royer holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from Binghamton University and a Bachelor of Arts degree with focuses on Religious Studies, Middle Eastern Studies and Sociology from Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. While an undergraduate, she interned at the United Methodist Office for the United Nations.
Jennifer L. Cox; Executive & Operations Associate
Ms. Cox joined the staff of Concept Systems, Inc. in August 2011. As the Executive & Operations Associate, she provides a high level of administrative support to the CEO and other senior management of the firm, supporting business development and assisting client project teams.
Jennifer's previous positions include program support for the Parents Fund at Cornell University. She is currently studying at Tompkins Cortland Community College, majoring in Creative Writing and Broadcast Journalism. A native resident of Ithaca, Jennifer dedicates her weekends to strengthening the local community through her membership with the American Legion Auxiliary and her supporting role at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management Executive MBA program.
Diana Crawford; Assistant Administrator
Ms. Crawford's duties include maintenance of the Concept Systems' client database and invoicing system. She also organizes CSI's on-site Training Seminars and supports day-to-day needs in managing the office. She has organizational and secretarial experience in publishing, and medical and educational offices.
William M.K. Trochim, Ph.D.; Founding Partner
Dr. Trochim is the developer of the Concept Mapping approach, and originally programmed The Concept System®.
He is a full professor in the Department of Policy Analysis and Management at Cornell University and is Director of Evaluation for the Weill Cornell Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC). Dr. Trochim received a Ph.D. in Methodology and Evaluation Research from the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University, and has been at Cornell University since 1980.
Dr. Trochim's research is broadly in the area of applied social research methodology, with an emphasis on program planning and evaluation methods. He has written several books, including a widely used introductory research methods text. He manages one of the most widely used websites in applied social research (www.socialresearchmethods.net), and has authored, or co-authored, many articles in professional journals.
He has been an active member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA), and is Past President of its Board.
