Open to opportunities

Jayne Boyd-Zaharias

@jayneboyd-zaharias

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Executive director and education research leader specializing in qualitative methodology.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking to support education-focused leaders and doctoral candidates by delivering methodologically rigorous qualitative guidance, clear research alignment, and actionable evaluation insights that strengthen programs, policies, and dissertation outcomes.

I’m an Executive Director and education research leader with an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration, backed by years of directing rigorous studies and translating findings into practice. I co-founded a 501(c)(3) organization delivering program evaluation services, leading grant writing and research dissemination through refereed publications, technical reports, and professional presentations.

Today, I provide methodological support as an Adjunct Qualitative Dissertation Chair, helping doctoral candidates strengthen problem and purpose statements, align research questions with qualitative designs, and develop interview protocols, sampling strategies, and ethical data collection. I’ve also led and reviewed research through roles including Research Director at Tennessee State University and a long-term peer reviewer for federal TRIO grant applications.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Adjunct Qualitative Chair

Current

Liberty University

Jan 2026 - Present (5 months)

Provided methodological support to doctoral candidates in qualitative research design and dissertation development, including problem/purpose and research question alignment. Guided interview protocol development, sampling strategies, ethical data collection, and qualitative analysis to support dissertation completion.

Qualitative Research Qualitative Data Research Question Alignment

Peer Reviewer

U.S. Department of Education

Feb 2013 - Dec 2025 (12 years 10 months)

Reviewed federal TRIO grant applications (including GEAR UP, McNair, Upward Bound/Upward Bound Math-Science, and Student Support Services) and provided scored written critiques. Attended and helped lead peer review panel meetings to evaluate submissions against federal criteria.

Grants Review TRIO Program Evaluation Application Scoring Written Critique Development Peer Review Panel Facilitation Program Assessment

Faculty (Undergrad Business)

Western Governors University

Feb 2014 - Dec 2020 (6 years 10 months)

Guided approximately 600 undergraduate business students in making academic decisions aligned with educational objectives. Tracked and held students accountable for academic progress and supported success through course and degree pathway guidance, including resource/policy and learning style information.

Student Advising Learning Styles Undergraduate Business Education Degree Pathway Guidance University Policies And Procedures Student Success Coaching

Executive Director, HEROS

Heros, Inc.

Mar 1996 - Jan 2013 (16 years 10 months)

Co-founded HEROS, Inc. (a 501(c)(3)) to provide program evaluation services to nonprofit clients, including the Tennessee Department of Education, National Education Association, and United Way. Led grant writing, program evaluation, budget/client management, and dissemination of findings through refereed publications, technical reports, and professional presentations.

Program Evaluation Grant writing Budget Management Client Relations Strategic Planning Support

Dissertation Advisor

Self Employed

Jan 1993 - Jan 1997 (4 years)

Provided individualized dissertation support to ABD doctoral candidates, assisting with literature review development, research design/methodology, and data analysis. Supported scholarly writing for completion and publication while incorporating committee feedback to guide dissertation revisions.

Research Design Data Analysis Committee Feedback Integration Research Presentation Support

Research Director, TSU

Tennessee State University

Jun 1992 - Mar 1996 (3 years 9 months)

Directed the School/Community Partnership Research Unit within TSU’s Center of Excellence for Research in Basic Skills and led five longitudinal studies on instructional practices, class size, homework, and achievement for at-risk students. Managed research compliance, databases, grant/paper proposal development, and preparation of journal articles and technical reports.

Longitudinal Study Leadership Class Size Research Research Compliance Research Management Grant writing Proposal Development Journal Article Writing

Director of Class Size Studies

Tennessee State University

Jun 1990 - Jun 1992 (2 years)

Developed procedures and implemented follow-up studies for Tennessee’s Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) class-size experiment. Managed and analyzed data for a dataset of over 15,000 cases, facilitated collaboration with researchers worldwide, and authored peer-reviewed journal articles and technical reports.

STAR Class Size Research Follow Up Study Design Data Analysis

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Tennessee State University

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Educational Leadership and Administration

Activities and societies: Honors: Herbert Handley Dissertation Award (Mid-South Educational Research Association) and Graduate Student Research Award (Tennessee State University).

Earned an Ed.D. specializing in Educational Leadership and Administration. Dissertation examined the effect of random class assignment on elementary students’ achievement.