Meet the Team: Mary Gray
/Our Meet the Team blog series highlights our team, one member at a time. We give you a glimpse into their motivations and approach to working with our partners to achieve better results for communities. Through this feature, we hope that you’ll find a deeper connection to the people and relationships that are central to our work.
Today we’re getting to know Mary Gray, our energetic and bright senior consultant at Engage R+D.
1. What is your role at Engage R+D?
I am a senior consultant at Engage R+D. The majority of my time is spent partnering with clients and my Engage R+D teammates to facilitate learning and translate it into action. The ins and outs of what I do look different every day, which I love. I have recently served as project lead on evaluation projects focusing on a range of issues related to nonprofit capacity-building, family engagement, workforce development, and health. I am involved in every stage of projects, from design and development to data collection and analysis to reporting and presentation. My ultimate aim is to use numbers and narratives as a means to support the development of stronger and more equitable communities.
I also have been fortunate to work closely with others at Engage R+D on various operational endeavors, such as talent and business development, and planning and leading staff meetings.
2. What experience do you bring to this work?
Over the past 17 years, I have worked in a variety of research and consulting positions in academia, the nonprofit sector, government, and the private sector. The trailhead of my career can be traced back to the research lab that I worked in as an undergrad at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Through this experience, I discovered my love of research and evaluation (so nerdy, I know) and the possibilities of applying it to improve people’s lives. This passion drove me to pursue my doctorate in Social Psychology at Boston College. I continued conducting research studies as a lab manager as well as working as a teaching assistant. Not only was I adding to and sharpening my research toolkit during this time, but I also unearthed a love of teaching and the art of reimagining and simplifying the translation of complex concepts. I started working as a Research Associate at a nonprofit called Crittenton Women’s Union, which is now EMPath - Economic Mobility Pathways. This experience showed me the impact that applied research can have on the lives of underserved populations and a deep appreciation of the superheroes that work at nonprofits. After I finished my degree, I moved to London to apply my knowledge in a different environment and worked at a public sector organization that oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales. Getting a peek into how government works and how practices, programs, guidance, and policies are developed was hugely valuable. After a few years in the UK, I made my way back to California and started working as a research consultant, bringing my diverse experiences and understanding of social sector strategy with me.
3. Tell me about an experience or a story that motivates you to do this work.
As a kid, I loved social studies and science. I found that intersection come to life when I took Psychology and Sociology courses in undergrad which inspired me to further deepen my learning by pursuing a graduate degree in Social Psychology. In graduate school, I enjoyed fusing my passion for social justice with my research skills to impact social change. While working as a Research Associate at Crittenton Women’s Union, some members of my team were invited to the State House to share findings from our research report with Massachusetts’ Governor at the time, Deval Patrick. This report overlapped with some of the research I was doing for my graduate dissertation on the ‘cliff effect,’ which focused on the challenges low-income families face when trying to make ends meet. This experience was pivotal for me. I saw firsthand how results from research that I conducted could come alive and the role that I could potentially play in informing policy change. What inspires me most in the work that we do is the ability to build on broader efforts to strengthen communities in some way - whether it is working with community members directly or staff at the community-based organizations that serve those individuals or with a funder that is supporting the community-based organizations.
4. What do you love about your job?
There is a lot to love about my job. I enjoy the variety of work (topics, methods, etc.) and the opportunity to bring data to life in the way we visualize and present it. But where it all comes together for me is with the people. Working with smart, collaborative, compassionate, and humorous colleagues at Engage R+D that embody the spirit of teamwork is one of the best parts of my job. Another group of people that are part of the reason my job is so fulfilling are the bright and dedicated clients that are working hard to move the needle while also maintaining an openness to innovation and thought partnership. Last but certainly not least, the root of what drives me to do this work is the opportunity to play even a small role in enhancing the lives of the incredible people that we meet through our work and the chance to do anything that I can to support equity in all communities.
On a final note, I would be remiss not to mention that I also love the flexibility of working from home and being able to dress business on the top and athleisure on the bottom.
5. You’re in Los Angeles - tell me 3 places I should go if I visit.
I have deep family roots in Southern California and a lot of love for the area. I found my appreciation for it grew exponentially when I spent eight years away. Not only are there a range of cultural and culinary experiences in the area, but the diverse landscapes also allow for endless adventure. I live near the beach but can easily access the desert and mountains within a two-hour drive. Three of my favorite spots that I’ve visited recently are highlighted below.
Abalone Cover Shoreline Park and Ecological Reserve is a beautiful beach and hike in Palos Verdes. My recommendation after you are finished with the hike is to make a quick detour to Wayfarers Chapel and then stop in for lunch at Terranea. If you’re eager for even more breathtaking views after lunch, a hike on the nearby Discovery Trail is totally worth it.
Catalina Island is a magical gem about 22 miles off the coast of LA. You can get there by taking a 60-ish minute boat ride from a range of ports: Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport Beach, or Dana Point, which is also worth a day trip from LA. Not only is getting there a cool experience often escorted by a pod of dolphins, the minute you step off the boat you feel like you’ve been transported to a different part of the world. There is an array of excursions on both water and land (they have bison!) and golf carts aplenty. I recommend dining out on the deck at the Bluewater Grill in Avalon during sunset.
Little Sister in Redondo Beach is one of my favorite restaurants in LA’s South Bay. The East-meets-West inspired dishes are unbelievably delicious and the atmosphere is vibrant. It is located in Riviera Village which is filled with shops and restaurants to explore afterward. If you want to take in a beautiful view of the ocean, you can walk one street over and stroll along the Esplanade or nearby beach.
