My entire career has been with HDI. Career journeys involve growth and are filled with highs, lows, and doubts. The one thing constant in my career journey is what HDI stands for and its impact on our communities. It is an incredible privilege to be working with people who push boundaries, advocate, and work towards creating an inclusive community for all. It is a privilege and something that I don’t take for granted.
—Chithra Adams, Ph.D., HDI Director of Evaluation
How did you come to know HDI?
Through a job ad on UK employment site. I applied for a job opening in the Evaluation Unit while I was in grad school and did not get the job. Soon after graduation, I applied for another job opening in the Evaluation Unit and I got it!
How long have you been at HDI and what is your role?
I have been working for HDI for 13 years. HDI is the only employer I ever had! I started out as an Evaluation coordinator. I have held various positions within the Evaluation Unit. In 2012, I became the Interim Director of Evaluation. In 2014, I became the Director of Evaluation.
During your time at HDI, of which accomplishments are you most proud?
I am proud of the accomplishments that have been made by HDI projects. As an evaluator, I have a unique opportunity where my job is to document project success and accomplishments. I am very grateful for the space made by HDI staff for evaluation. I am also very grateful for the Evaluation Unit Team. The Unit always had a strong team culture and we support one another. Being a part of this team and HDI is an incredible prevlige and something I dont take for granted.
Looking back, can you please share with us a fun or fond moment you had at HDI?
My most fun moments are with my colleagues geeking out. At our last staff meeting, there were presentations on Power BI, text analysis of our team emails, preliminary examination of nicknames of baseball players, discrepancies in a large scale datasets, ‘The Empire did Nothing Wrong-A look at Confirmation Bias,” and an evaluation rubric that paid homage to evaluation and nerd culture!
Do you have any advice you would like to share with current and future staff and students at HDI?
There is so much going on HDI. I always learn something new when I talk to an HDIer. My advice to new staff is just call/pop in and chat! You will be guaranteed to learn somthing fun and exciting! And even work on a new project!
What do you think the future holds for HDI?
HDI has a always had a very inter-disciplinary and inter-connectedness outlook both in terms of practice and research. We have so many inter-disciplinary projects. There is a trend toward more inter-disciplinary projects as people realize that aspects of lives are inter-connected and influence each other. I think we have a lot to offer in terms of expertise of how to implement inter-disciplinary projects, how to pollinate practice from one discipline to another, how to make connections between one life area to another. HDI is the future!
