Our Team
Together, WestEd and CRESST have nearly 100 years of expertise in conducting large-scale research, developing educational resources, and providing technical assistance to states. We continue our partnership from the Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center (2005–2012) to our current collaboration as the Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation (CSAI).
For nearly 50 years, WestEd has worked with states, districts, and schools to develop capacity to increase academic achievement for all students through instructional practice, assessment, and use of accountability data at various levels.
Currently, WestEd works with instructional and leadership teams across the nation to help them develop, implement, and evaluate standards, assessments, and classroom resources aimed at improving instructional practice and student outcomes.
The Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST) is a nationally renowned research center at the University of California, Los Angeles.
CRESST has almost five decades of unsurpassed experience in helping states, school districts, and schools develop and align their assessment to measure increasingly rigorous standards.
CSAI Directors
Andrew Latham is the Director of the Standards, Assessment, and Accountability Services (SAAS) program at WestEd and the Co-Director of CSAI.
Deborah Sigman
Senior Adviser
Deborah Sigman is the former Director of CSAI and the Director of Strategic Support in the Comprehensive School Assistance Program at WestEd.
Joan Herman
Associate Director
Joan Herman is a Senior Research Scientist at CRESST and the Associate Director of CSAI. She also leads the CRESST/CSAI team and heads CSAI's Standards and Curriculum and Instruction content strands.
CSAI Staff
Bryan Hemberg
Assistant Director
Bryan Hemberg is a Senior Assessment Manager in the SAAS program at WestEd and the Assistant Director of CSAI.
Sandy Chang
Director, Communications and Dissemination
Sandy Chang is a Research Associate at CRESST and leads Communications and Dissemination for CSAI. She is Co-Leader of the Standards content strand for CSAI.
Tiffany Katanyoutanant
Researcher, Assessment and Accountability
Tiffany Katanyoutanant is a Researcher in the SAAS program at WestEd and of Assessment and Accountability for CSAI.
Chelsea Talakoub
Researcher, Assessment and Accountability
Chelsea Talakoub is a Research Associate in the SAAS program at WestEd and a Researcher of Assessment and Accountability for CSAI.
Danielle Oberbeck
Project Manager
Danielle Oberbeck is a Project Management Coordinator in the SAAS program at WestEd and the Project Manager for CSAI.
Barbara Jones
Content Director, Curriculum and Instruction
Barbara Jones is a Research Associate at CRESST and Co-Leader of the Curriculum and Instruction content strand for CSAI.
Theresa Low
Administrative Assistant
Theresa Low is an Administrative Assistant in the SAAS Program at WestEd and for CSAI.
Julie Park Haubner
Content Specialist, Standards and Curriculum and Instruction
Julie Park Haubner is a Senior Researcher at CRESST and Content Specialist of Standards and Curriculum and Instruction for CSAI.
