Allison O'Connor Blaine

Dr. Blaine O'Connor specializes in evaluation design and research methods, with a focus on mixed-method analyses and outcome measurement. Passionate about supporting people and their communities to use meaningful data to thrive, Allison is additionally interested in child welfare, animal-assisted therapy, and field education. In her PhD work, Bayesian modeling and qualitative interviews were combined to better understand why and how animal-assisted therapy is utilized with children who experience caregiver-perpetrated maltreatment. She designed and conducted research from 2009 to 2021 before moving into teaching; she is also a licensed clinical social worker specializing in mood disorders and family functioning.