The Systems Change Lab is a team of multi-disciplinary research scientists, associates, and staff who address complex societal problems through data collection and analysis, policy research, training/education, facilitative practices, and systems change methodologies, including collective impact.
Housed at the Social Science Research Center (SSRC), SCL projects use the multifaceted resources of the SSRC, such as the Survey Research Laboratory, to address issues of early childhood, structural inequities, public health, education, and other topics.
The SSRC reports to both the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine and the Office of Research and Economic Development on MSU’s campus.
Faculty, Staff, and Student Workers
Heather Hanna
Faculty Co-Lead, Systems Change Lab
Associate Research Professor
Dr. Hanna is the Co-Lead of the Systems Change Lab (SCL), driving early childhood systems building through participatory methods and continuous quality improvement, drawing on deep knowledge of the early childhood system to identify gaps and turn complex research into actionable change for families and communities.
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Gina Rico Mendez
Faculty Co-Lead, Systems Change Lab
Associate Research Professor
Dr. Rico Mendez is the Co-Lead of the SCL, focusing on applied systems-level inquiry. She brings expertise in policy analysis, evaluation, and social systems research to support project design, implementation, and strategic learning. She engages in efforts to translate complex data into actionable insights and contributes to cross-thematic initiatives within SCL’s applied research portfolio.
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Ruby Brenner
Research Associate I
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Madeline Burdine
Research Associate I
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Malcolm Huell
Research Associate II
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Emily McClelland
Senior Research Associate
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John S. McCown
Senior Research Associate
John McCown supports the grant activities of the SCL in the areas of data science. He leads and contributes to efforts designing research tools and analyzing and managing collected data.
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Nell Valentine
Project Director
Nell Valentine serves as Co-PI on the MDHS Strategic Information Support project for the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS). Her current work centers on advancing early childhood care and education systems in Mississippi through partnerships with MDHS’s Division of Early Childhood Care and Development and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Valentine has authored and co-authored numerous reports and presentations on the state’s early childhood systems.
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Connie Baird-Thomas
Associate Director of SSRC Policy Studies and Evaluation and Research Group (ERG)
