James Liou’s interdisciplinary work as senior director at Equal Measure sits at a unique intersection of his personal and professional lives. The research and evaluation projects that he leads are shaped by his background as a teacher, a family foundation program officer and an Asian-American man in a time of racial reckoning and distress.
“It really shapes my disposition, how I facilitate conversations and how I think about learning and what’s required for change,” he said.
Liou provides professional services to foundations, nonprofits and public agencies in multiple sectors, including areas that range from education to criminal justice reform to place-based cross-sector initiatives. Across projects, Liou’s goal is to create and communicate the evidence that spurs progress toward racial equity and justice.
“I’m very interested to see how a results framework might be integrated and applied to Equal Measure’s role in the broader ecosystem,” he said. “How might it amplify our methodological point of view for evaluation, learning and action?”
Liou also appreciates the opportunity the Fellowship provides for personal reflection.
“It’s such a gift to integrate my own growth and well-being into my professional work,” he said.