Nadine Dechausay is CFT’s Director of Learning and Insights. Drawing on her career as an evaluator, she is responsible for building out a learning function that tracks the results of foundation investments, mobilizes knowledge in service of strategy, and builds evaluation capacity within the social sector. She is committed to storytelling to advance collective understanding of implementation experiences and helping leaders use data and evidence for continuous program improvement. Nadine previously oversaw grantmaking for the W.W. Caruth Jr. Fund at CFT, introducing new practices focused on equity, transparency and using design to support social innovation. Nadine continues to serve as a contact for organizations working in restorative justice, diversion and re-entry, education, racial equity, and initiatives related to social connectedness and belonging.

Prior to joining CFT in 2018, Nadine was a senior research associate at MDRC, a national social policy research firm, where she directed the Center for Applied Behavioral Science and managed several national and local evaluations. She has published implementation research findings and spoken widely on topics related to behavioral economics, incentives and evidence-based policymaking. She is an expert in design thinking who has helped nonprofit leaders innovate by applying behavioral insights and leveraging new technologies.

Nadine is A.B.D. in sociology at New York University. She holds a J.D. with honors and master’s degrees in criminology and applied psychology from the University of Toronto. She holds bachelor’s degrees in education and human biology from Brown University. 

Community Leadership / Board Service

Nadine currently serves on the Texas Health Resources Foundation Board. She was elected to the Texas Health Resources Community Impact Dallas/Rockwall Leadership Council, and was recently selected to be Designer in Residence for SMU's Master of Arts in Design and Innovation, Fall 2020.

Joined CFT

2018

Favorite Aspect of CFT

"CFT is infused with a sense of service and mission. We succeed when changemakers in the social sector have strong capacity and the resources to make their visions real. I love being part of the team that stands behind great things that are happening in the community."

Favorite Quote

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."

— Martin Luther King Jr.