Dr. Sarah “izzy” Thornton serves as a Principal at the Evaluation Association within the Center for Research Evaluation (CERE) at the University of Mississippi. She began with CERE in 2022 after completing her PhD in Sociology from Mississippi State University. Prior to her doctoral studies, she also earned her B.A. in Sociology, a B.S.W. in Social Work, and a M.S. in Sociology.
Izzy is a multimethod applied sociologist and data scientist with demonstrated expertise in studies of childhood, educational inequality, and health disparities. Izzy has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at understanding and improving various aspects of community health, education, and social services. Her expertise is further demonstrated through a robust portfolio of funded evaluation projects and involvement in professional organizations such as the American Evaluation Association and the American Sociological Association. Izzy now brings these areas of expertise together to lead CERE’s “Children, Families, and Communities” portfolio, where she focuses on evaluation methods that involve and are in service of children and the communities in which they are raised.
