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NORC at the University Chicago

Joy Zacharia

Pronouns: She/Her

Senior Research Director II
Education & Child Development
Joy is a seasoned researcher with over 30 years of experience designing and conducting education and human services research projects and evaluations.

Joy is a senior research director in NORC’s Education and Child Development department. She has advanced knowledge of social science research principles and processes and project and relationship management expertise. Joy will direct a variety of evaluation projects and research studies.  

Before joining NORC, Joy worked at Metis Associates, a research and evaluation firm in New York City. There, she managed, designed, and conducted qualitative and quantitative research and directed fieldwork for large-scale and multi-site evaluations. She also summarized study results and facilitated training sessions in a variety of social science research areas. Her work covered many content areas, including prekindergarten to 12th-grade education, child welfare and well-being, youth development, arts education and engagement, community schools, school integration and educational equity, and community impact and partnership programs.