QIAN CAI (pronounced “chien tsai”) is director of the Demographics Research Group at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. She is principal investigator for multiple research grants from the Census Bureau, Virginia Governor’s Office and various state agencies. A native of China, Qian received a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1991 and a master’s degree in demography in 1994, both from Peking University. She received a Ph.D. in sociology from Brown University in 2000.
Sol Baik is a Senior Researcher and Project Lead on Aging and Rehabilitative Services Research for the Demographics Research Group at the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. She is currently responsible for building demographic data delivery for the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services and Area Agencies on Aging and providing consultation services to clients with aging-related data needs. Sol’s area of interest is in the health and well-being of older adults and their family caregivers. She has eight years of experience in interdisciplinary research, particularly related to aging, health disparities, and social determinants of health.
HAMILTON LOMBARD is the Estimates Program Manager for the Demographics Research Group at the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. His expertise is in demographic change, particularly the different components of population growth and decline, and the effect of government policy on population patterns. Hamilton has worked in local and regional planning in Virginia and the United Kingdom.
SHONEL SEN is the Projections Manager for the Demographics Research Group. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Economics from India and the Dual-Ph.D. in Applied Economics and Demography at Pennsylvania State University. She has a strong background in regional economics, populations studies, and public policy with training in theoretical modeling and quantitative analysis. Her interdisciplinary research interests bring together elements from the fields of economic development, components of population change, behavioral incentives and environmental sustainability.
Weldon Cooper Center Contributors
DUSTIN CABLE was a Senior Research Associate for the Demographics Research Group. His research was on topics that lie at the intersection of demographics, politics, and public policy. He now works for Facebook.
ACHSAH CARRIER was a Research Associate for the Demographics Research Group. She studied workforce issues and advised the Office of Career and Technical Education Services at the Virginia Department of Education. She is now retired.
MICHELE CLAIBOURN was a Research Associate for the Demographics Research Group. She specialized in statistical modeling and civic engagement. She is the author of Presidential Campaigns and Presidential Accountability. Currently she is the director of Research Data Services at the University of Virginia’s Library.
SUSAN CLAPP was a statistician for the Demographics Research Group. She is an expert in data sources, statistical methods, and teaching people how to understand and use data well.
KATHRYN PIPER CRESPIN was a Research and Policy Analyst for the Demographics Research Group. She received a Master of Science degree in Demography from Florida State University. She enjoys writing about demography, and her training and interests include population forecasting as well as analysis, mapping, and visualization of population data. Prior to joining the Demographics Research Group, she worked as an epidemiologist for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Utah Department of Health. Kathryn earned her B.A. in English from Georgetown University and her M.S. in Demography from Florida State University.
MEREDITH STROHM GUNTER represents the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia as Outreach Director for the Demographics Research Group. Meredith’s career experience includes senior administrative posts at three institutions of higher education in Virginia, policy and special initiative development for the Governor’s Office, international service and support for a major Virginia law firm, and a number of freelance writing, editing, and planning projects.
STEPHEN HOLZMAN was a Research and Policy Analyst for the Demographics Research Group. His research interests include population forecasting, fertility trends, and interactive data visualization. Stephen received his B.S. in Economics and M.S. in Demography, from Florida State University where he also worked for the College of Social Sciences IT department. Stephen is currently pursuing other interests.
LUKE JUDAY was a Research and Policy Analyst for the Demographics Research Group. He received his Bachelor’s degree in political science from Grove City College and a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia. His expertise is in mapping and spatial analysis and he focuses on how demographic trends are related to local government decisions and metropolitan change. Prior to attending graduate school, he worked as a middle school teacher and debate coach, and was a Fulbright Scholar in Gaborone, Botswana. He is now the director of the Waynesboro Planning Department.
MEGAN JUELFS-SWANSON was a research assistant for the Demographics Research group and a doctoral candidate in Sociology at the University of Virginia. Her research interests are in politics, parenting and families, and religion. Megan holds a B.A. in Communications from Seattle Pacific University and a Masters in Sociology from the University of Virginia.
KYAW KHINE was a Research and Policy Analyst for the Demographics Research Group. Kyaw received his B.Sc. in Geosciences from Mississippi State University and Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Virginia.
ANNIE ROREM was a Policy Associate for the Demographics Research Group at the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. She has a background in both theoretical mathematics and public policy, and conducts research on education and labor force participation with a particular interest in gender. Annie is a graduate of Wesleyan University, and worked for several years as a middle school teacher before completing her MPP at University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership & Public Policy.
SPENCER SHANHOLTZ was a Research and Policy Analyst for the Demographics Research Group at the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. His expertise is in statistical and economic analysis and data visualization with a special focus on regional and geospatial information. Prior to joining the Demographics Research Group, Spencer worked for the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University and the Virginia Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech. Spencer earned his B.A. in Geography, B.S. in Environmental Science, and Master of Urban and Regional Planning (M.U.R.P) from Virginia Tech. Spencer is now pursuing a PhD at Syracuse University.
REBECCA TIPPET was a Research Associate for the Demographics Research Group. Her focus was on household economic well-being and producing population estimates and projections. She is now the Director of Carolina Demography at the Carolina Population Center.