Femi Vance, Ph.D. is making a difference in the youth development sector with her extensive experience in research and evaluation of out-of-school time programs. Vance works at American Institutes for Research (AIR) to provide technical assistance to youth professionals and focuses on promoting social and emotional learning, evaluation capacity building, and skill-building plans in youth programs. Vance’s research and analysis emphasize on translating academic work into practical applications. Vance earned her Master’s in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in Educational Policy from UC Irvine. She also co-authored user guides for OST practitioners, including Strategies to Promote Non-Cognitive Skills: A Guide for Educators and Youth Developers, and Leading the Way to a Successful Professional Learning Community. Furthermore, Vance has completed training as an Endorsed Trainer at California School-Age Consortium (CalSAC) and presently serves as a National Summer Learning Field Consultant. Vance is also a member of the California School-Age Consortium board.