273 - Rural Evaluators' Lived Experiences: Lessons from the Field

Abstract Information: There is a paucity of research about evaluators working in rural areas, particularly the US South. This poster will present findings from a qualitative study of evaluators who are based and working in communities in the rural South, conducted by young and emerging evaluators who are themselves living and working in this region. A phenomenological approach will be used to explore the lived experiences of these rural evaluators to gain insight into supports and resources as well as barriers and challenges that they perceive in their evaluator roles. Purposeful sampling will be employed to prioritize the voices of evaluators from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Emergent themes related to positive mentoring experiences, youth-focused evaluation, diverse perspectives, and lessons learned, will be shared.