We help organizations turn thoughtful questions into useful evidence—and useful evidence into meaningful action.
Our
Values
Collaboration
We work alongside clients, practitioners, and communities to shape questions, interpret findings, and identify useful next steps.
Equity
We examine whose needs are being met, whose perspectives are missing, and how programs and systems can expand access and opportunity.
Learning and Action
We make findings accessible and timely so clients can use them to improve their work and make informed decisions.
Rigor and Transparency
We use methods suited to each question and communicate clearly about findings, limitations, and what the evidence supports.
Poet’s Corner & Research Associates Team Members
Jay Feldman, PhD
Jay brings more than 35 years of experience in research, evaluation, and organizational improvement. His work spans K–12 and postsecondary education, workforce development, disability inclusion, and community initiatives.
Trained as a developmental psychologist, Jay combines rigorous research with a collaborative approach that values the knowledge of practitioners and communities. He helps organizations understand implementation, assess outcomes, and use findings to strengthen their work, with particular attention to people historically underserved by existing systems.
Before founding Poet’s Corner Research Associates, Jay worked at RTI International and in nonprofit organizations supporting educational improvement. He holds a PhD in psychology from Boston College, an EdM from Harvard University, and a BA in psychology from Carleton College.
Founder, CEO
Stacy Shaw, PhD
Stacy has spent the last 11 years in educational research. She earned a BA in Human Development with minors in statistics and psychology from CSU East Bay, then worked with Jay as an education evaluator at RTI international for three years. Inspired to improve education, she then earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from UCLA studying mathematics learning with a focus on math anxiety, creative thinking, and statistics learning. She currents is a professor of psychology and learning sciences at Worcester Polytechnic Institute where she teaches classes on education, creativity, research methods, metacognition, motivation, and affect.
Co-Principal
Penny Feldman, ARF, Minor in Squirrel Behavior
Penny keeps Poet’s Corner Research Associates grounded in the essentials: curiosity, regular walks, and knowing when it’s time for a break. She brings enthusiasm to every meeting and takes a hands-on approach to document review—occasionally napping on Jay’s homework. Her recommendations usually involve treats.
Director of Walks and ReflectionCONNECT WITH US