An Evaluation Team With Unique Qualifications

Every member of the FutureU research team has expertise in both virtual communications AND applied research. This doesn't mean that some have led virtual groups while others have conducted research. It means that every FutureU research specialist has been developing, implementing, and analyzing surveys for at least five years (in most cases 25 years) and has also facilitated online groups. This unique combination of skills gives the FutureU team a special capability for evaluating the success of your information technology initiatives.

Gail Terry Grimes, FutureU's CEO, spent 20 years interviewing researchers, health care professionals, and academic, corporate, and civic leaders on behalf of large non-profit institutions, for purposes of cultivating support. She appreciates the value you place on every interaction. Her commitment to respecting your relationships is a core value at FutureU. When FutureU represents your organization, you are assured of a positive experience.

Claude Whitmyer, CIO, was one of the earliest pioneers in virtual communication and education. Mr. Whitmyer also has 25 years of research experience, including independent comparisons of technology products related to communications and education. For example, in his work as faculty advisor to the American Hospital Association's Health Forum fellowships for senior healthcare executives; he often surveys participants about their needs and readiness for virtual communication. In 1996, Mr. Whitmyer was part of a pioneering research study of a group of organizational leaders and consultants that met for 6 months, entirely online, and explored the use of various conversational practices and supporting groupware for virtual community building.

David Fetterman, Ph.D., is former president of the American Evaluation Society, professor and director of the MA Policy Analysis and Evaluation Program in the School of Education at Stanford University, and a former principal research scientist at the American Institutes for Research.

Tom Hargadon, M.S., LL.B., recently served as principal investigator in studying the economic impact of broad-band cable and telephone architectures on the European community. He continually researches the convergence of visual computing with high-band-width telecommunications, providing strategic analysis of the multimedia development market, interactive television, alternative telecommunications, and the impact of new telecommunications architectures and standards on enterprise networking to Fortune 500 firms, the U.S. Government, and the MIT Research Program in Communications Policy. Mr. Hargadon also publishes The Inside Report on New Media.

Sue Marcus, Ph.D. has designed and directed marketing surveys, focus group projects, needs assessments, studies on the outcomes of medical treatments, and computer software and clinical information systems. She developed a national online health information service for consumers and health care professionals and produced customized health information as source materials for audio tapes.

Michael P. Stein, M.A.B., is best known as a focus group leader and creative analyst, with a special interest in multi-level communication. For 35 years he has been serving clients such as AT&T, IBM, the airlines, and numerous smaller organizations, start-ups and non-profits. He is currently helping to develop a government/industry partnership to assess individual skills and educational needs, develop an educational plan, and then assess achievement. Mr. Stein has an Economics degree from Wharton. His graduate business degree was conducted largely online and he is a graduate of FutureU's training in online facilitation.

Barry Tuchfeld, Ph.D., founded and directed one of the first graduate programs in assessment and evaluation that was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): the Center for Organizational Research and Evaluation at Texas Christian University. Today Dr. Tuchfeld focuses on the use of the Internet in e-learning initiatives, with a special emphasis on front-end evaluations and strategic visioning. His experience includes national research projects as well as results-oriented projects that may involve surveys or non-statistical efforts like key informant interviews or focus groups.