Brittney Carroll, research and planning analyst for San Diego City College, is leading the charge in building a data culture and getting data in the hands of those who need it most for ensuring more academic and professional opportunities for students.

“I worked in higher education most of my career, but being a part of City College stood out to me because they are big on social justice and putting students at the forefront,” said Carroll, who started working at City College in 2019 for the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research.

Her passion for research is empowering her colleagues to make data-informed decisions about their programs and services. “Our department prepares data for the college to apply for a variety of grants that target specific populations, and we also study the effectiveness of the grant outcomes and college-wide programming,” said Carroll.

“Creative programming for students makes all the difference,” she said. As part of the planning committee for the annual City Women Rock conference, Carroll partakes in planning the schedule of events from the speakers to the breakout workshops and then analyzes the outcomes and student feedback for continuous program improvement the next year.

“Our goal is to support students in continuing their studies and guide them to be successful in the workforce by sharing job hunting skills, tips for interviews, and self-care routines for mental health.” The one-day summit was designed in 2016 for female-identified students.

Carroll previously served as the institutional researcher at National University, and as the educational researcher for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. She started her career in education as a teacher for Head Start, an initiative under the Neighborhood House Association that provides low-income families with early childhood education services.

Carroll holds a master's degree in applied psychology, with an emphasis on program evaluation/industrial organizational psychology from San Diego State University, and bachelor’s degrees in both psychology and sociology from the University of California Irvine, where she also earned a certificate in social problems and public policy.