Fred Milacci holds a doctorate from Penn State (2003) and serves as Director of the Ed.D. program in the Department of Community Care and Counseling at Liberty University. An expert in community care and counseling, his work focuses on treatment courts and community-based behavioral health initiatives, where he has served as a program evaluator for Adult Drug Court and Family Treatment Drug Court. With specialized expertise in qualitative case study research, Fred is dedicated to improving program outcomes in community health settings.

Fred Volk, an award-winning educator and researcher, received his Ph.D. from Wichita State University in 2001. He serves as a professor and the Director of Doctoral Research in the School of Behavioral Sciences at Liberty University. Dr. Volk specializes in behavioral health and addiction program evaluations and has played a key role as a project evaluator for numerous federal grant evaluations. His approach integrates participatory action research, enhancing the effectiveness of the programs he evaluates.

Brianne Friberg earned her doctorate from the University of Wisconsin in 2010 and is a professor of psychology at Liberty University. She serves as an evaluator with Empirically Grounded Solutions, supporting grant-funded partnerships between law enforcement and behavioral health agencies. Dr. Friberg has presented her work nationally and currently serves as Assessment Coordinator for the Psychology Department. She is a recipient of Liberty University’s top teaching and research awards and has extensive experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate research.

Andrew Milacci is a professor at Liberty University, where he serves as Assessment Coordinator for the Department of Modern Languages and directs the Spanish Major. He brings evaluation expertise through his contributions to workforce development grants, including qualitative interviews and consultation for a peer recovery specialist initiative. A 2022 Fulbright Scholar to Brazil and recipient of Liberty’s 2019 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Dr. Milacci has conducted qualitative research on cultural intelligence and study abroad, presenting nationally and collaborating with institutions across the Americas. His interdisciplinary work supports both academic and community-based evaluation projects.

Joe Girandola is a project manager and strategic advisor with Empirically Grounded Solutions, where he supports outcomes-driven initiatives in behavioral health and community development. He brings strong leadership experience serving vulnerable populations, with a focus on project efficiency and sustained impact. Joe earned a Master of Arts with High Distinction from Liberty University in 2015 and was recently recognized as a Community Champion by Lynchburg Living magazine for his contributions to regional health and human services.

Hannah Murch is a detail-oriented Data Analyst with four years of experience translating data into evidence-based insights. By integrating complex expertise in psychology with advanced skills in statistical techniques, she provides analytic insight that can drive evidence-based decision making.

Morgan Merritt serves as Administrative Support at EGS, where she plays a key role in managing daily operations and streamlining internal processes to enhance organizational efficiency. With nine years of experience in fast-paced administrative roles, she brings strong expertise in client communication, workflow optimization, and cross-functional coordination. Morgan is known for her attention to detail, proactive approach, and ability to support high-performing teams. Her work directly contributes to EGS’s data-driven mission by ensuring seamless operations that enable the delivery of impactful, evidence-based solutions for clients.

Tom Kawiecki is a skilled data specialist with extensive experience supporting federally funded grant initiatives. He plays a key role in ensuring the accuracy, consistency, and completeness of government-mandated data collection efforts. Known for his precision and reliability, Tom brings a strong commitment to data integrity and a collaborative spirit that enhances every project he supports. His data collection efforts consistently exceed the 80% completion benchmark required by funding agencies, reflecting both his diligence and the trust stakeholders place in his work. His contributions are essential to maintaining high standards of accountability and quality across evaluation and reporting processes.