Among the eight individuals recognized Nov. 2 was UW–Madison alumna Nicole Bowman-Farrell, who received the 2018 AEA Robert Ingle Service Award. Bowman-Farrell, who was the first indigenous woman to receive a Ph.D. from the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, now serves as a culturally responsive evaluation specialist with the School of Education’s Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER).

Bowman-Farrell’s work highlights multi-jurisdictional educational systems and examines how tribal and non-tribal educational policy is developed and implemented. She is recognized for her culturally responsive work and her mission to “work with people, not on them.” This has led her to represent AEA on the International Work Group and in EvalPartners’ global initiative to connect international evaluation networks.

Bowman-Farrell is also the founder and president of Bowman Performance Consulting, a nationally acclaimed evaluation center in Shawano, Wisconsin.