Fanny Hernandez

Evaluation Specialist for Extension

Department of Extension

Dr. Fanny Hernandez is the evaluation specialist for Extension, a role she has held since April 2024. At UConn, Dr. Hernandez is dedicated to teaching non-credit courses in program evaluation as part of professional development for Extension professionals and to providing technical assistance for their evaluation endeavors. She also designs standardized evaluation metrics and instructional resources of broad use among Extension professionals. Her involvement in evaluation encompasses technical support in all the evaluation phases, including planning, design, conducting, and reporting phases of the evaluation. Notably, she focuses on ensuring the sharing of program outcomes and relevant evaluation stories with key stakeholders.

Dr. Hernandez has made significant contributions to the program evaluation field and the Cooperative Extension System, drawing on her experience in notable evaluation positions across educational institutions and NGOs in Michigan and the Dominican Republic. Her transformative work with the United Way of Battle Creek and the Kalamazoo region, as well as her work with the K-12 Ministry of Education in the Dominican Republic, demonstrates the lasting impact on the field of evaluation.

Dr. Hernandez holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in Evaluation, Measurement, and Research from Western Michigan University, a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, and a teaching certificate. During her doctoral studies in Evaluation, Measurement, and Research at Western Michigan University, she completed her dissertation, “The Role of Evaluation Terms of Reference (TOR) in the Quality of Evaluation in the International Development Cooperation,” which solidified her expertise in program evaluation. She excels in teaching, with a focus on Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and adult experiential learning. In addition, Dr. Hernandez has a rich background in project management and quality control, competencies that she translates beyond evaluation efforts and uses in supporting efforts for program design and grant applications.

Dr. Hernandez’s skills encompass quantitative, qualitative, and a strong foundation in mixed-methods research. As a researcher, she is a pragmatic scholar with a focus on translating research knowledge into practical applications.  Her work focuses on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of evaluators’ work through the development of manuals and tools. In addition, she is passionate about enhancing the quality of evidence presented in evaluation reports and increasing the utilization of evaluation to improve programming, accountability, and organizational learning.

She is an active member of several professional associations, including the American Evaluation Association (AEA), the American Educational Research Association (AERA), NAESPDP, the International Development Evaluation Association IDEAS), the National Association of Extension Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP), and the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE). She has received multiple honors, such as the Graduate College Dissertation Completion Fellowship at Western Michigan University.

Dr. Hernandez’s dedication to advancing the field of program evaluation, through the development of standardized evaluation metrics, teaching program evaluation for Extension professionals, and research on the quality of evaluation, makes her a vital asset to this field.