Team

JESSE MARGOLIS, PHD

Co-founder and Managing Partner

Jesse co-founded MarGrady Research to apply what he learned as school district manager, business consultant, and academic researcher to improving the lives of students. Prior to founding MarGrady Research, Jesse was a Postdoctoral Fellow at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, researching education policy and teaching statistics and econometrics. He worked previously at the New York City Department of Education as a policy analyst and manager in the Office of Accountability, the Office of Student Enrollment, and the Office of New Schools. Jesse also spent three years as a management consultant at The Parthenon Group and three years working with school districts in Santiago, Chile, and Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University, a master’s in Economics from New York University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the City University of New York. He can be reached at jesse@margrady.com.

SHANNON O’GRADY

Co-founder

Shannon is an English teacher at the Yorkville East Middle School in New York City. She co-founded MarGrady Research to help bridge the gap between central office policy decisions and the reality of classroom teaching. Prior to founding MarGrady Research, Shannon worked as an independent consultant, developing interactive curriculum units for a major education publisher. She also spent seven years as an English teacher with the New York City Department of Education, working at both the middle and high school level in the Bronx and Brooklyn. In addition to teaching, Shannon has coached other teachers on planning, literacy, and Regents preparation. She has a bachelor’s in English from Yale University and a master’s in teaching from Brown University. She can be reached at shannon@margrady.com.

THEO KAUFMAN

Senior Analyst

Theo is a Senior Analyst at MarGrady Research, where he has worked since January 2022. Prior to joining MarGrady, Theo was a data analyst with Hennepin County in Minneapolis, MN. Theo holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography from Macalester College, where he also minored in Data Science and English. His skills include data visualization, web development, and database management. Theo’s areas of interest include using data to both investigate urban and civic issues and to support process improvement. He can be reached at theo@margrady.com.

SEAN SUDOL

Analyst

Sean is an Analyst at MarGrady Research, where he has worked since February 2023. Sean is currently a Masters of Science student at the CUNY Graduate Center studying Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. Prior to joining MarGrady, Sean was a Projects Manager at One Community NYC, a nonprofit focused on local equity issues in Brooklyn, NY. Sean holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Boston College, where he also minored in Islamic Civilization and Societies. His skills include project management, data visualization, and statistical analysis. Sean has a passion for poverty alleviation and reducing inequality and believes school quality is key to achieving these goals. He can be reached at sean@margrady.com.

KATE FLETCHER

Consultant

Kate consults on projects at MarGrady Research. She is an independent education consultant and aims to use her knowledge of education policy, research and analysis, and operations to support districts, schools, and education organizations in achieving their goals and expanding opportunities for students. Kate’s recent projects include strategic planning for district and school enrollment, building internal analysis and reporting tools for schools, and research on demographic changes in school districts. Kate was previously the Executive Director of Student Enrollment at Newark Public Schools in New Jersey where she oversaw a citywide school enrollment system for the city’s district and charter sectors and worked to advance equitable school enrollment. Prior to Newark Public Schools Kate was an analyst at MDRC, a national education and social policy research organization. She has a master’s in public policy and a master’s in social work from the University of Michigan. She can be reached at kate@margrady.com.