Program Staff

Julie DaVanzo, Project Director, is a Senior Economist at RAND. She directs RAND's Center for the Study of the Family in Economic Development. Her research has included analyses of a wide range of demographic and health topics in a number of countries, including Malaysia, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Guatemala, Indonesia, and the United States. This research has been reported in over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and reports. She designed and directed the First and Second Malaysian Family Life Surveys, which have been key databases for demographic research throughout the world. DaVanzo is currently a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Committee on National Statistics. She holds a doctorate in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

David M. Adamson, Communications Director, is a communications analyst at RAND. He works with project leaders and authors to plan, draft, and revise reports and briefings and also drafts summaries, policy briefs, and corporate documents. He has also co-authored numerous policy reports and papers, primarily in the areas of demography and technology policy. His principal research interests are the structure of printed and electronic discourse, the development of methods for teaching effective communication, and the history of writing instruction. He is a part-time writing instructor at The Institute for Public Policy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He holds a doctorate in English studies with a specialization in rhetoric from the University of California, Los Angeles (1991).

Priscilla Cavalca, Project Associate, assists with dissemination of project publications, promotes outreach to other organizations, agencies and associations, and is responsible for maintaining the database of contacts for the project. She holds a masters degree in European Studies from George Washington University and a BA in International Affairs from James Madison University.

Sally J. Patterson, President of Radiant Communications Inc., is director of outreach and dissemination for Population Matters. She provides strategic direction on public policy initiatives and legislative programs for political, public issues, association and non-profit clients. As Vice President of Wagner Associates for five years, she served a variety of public affairs clients including RAND and the California Department of Education. She has over twenty-five years of strategic communications and public policy expertise, including ten years with two different public opinion research firms. She holds BA and MA degrees in history from California State University, Fullerton.

Sue Phillips, Web Administrator, is part of the RAND Office of External Affairs web team and is the webmaster for the Population Matters web site.

Julie Ann Tajiri, Administrative Assistant, assists with all project correspondence and mailings, and provides general administrative support to the program.