About GRG & GRG’s History

Exciting News!! Colleen F. Manning, Ph.D. is now President of Goodman Research Group, Inc. (GRG). Having worked on staff at GRG since 1994, Colleen took over the reins from founder Irene F. Goodman, Ed.D. in October 2023. Irene is now President Emerita and is providing support to the executive team a few hours a week.

About GRG

Goodman Research Group, Inc. (GRG) is a research company that specializes in evaluating programs, materials, and services. We have a wide range of clients: formal education institutions; independent organizations; foundations; research and development companies; broadcast media (from television networks to production companies) and government agencies. Our expertise extends to all areas of evaluation research, including feasibility studies and needs assessments, formative research, process evaluation, outcome evaluation, and summative evaluation, as well as related services such as consultation and workshops.

Since GRG’s inception in 1989, we’ve formulated and carried out over 500 evaluation studies for a prestigious group of clients around the U.S. We have made recommendations that have maximized the benefits of a wide array of educational programs and materials, in addition to enhancing and refining works in progress.

Goodman Research Group is certified as a woman-owned business enterprise (WBE) by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office. GRG is celebrating its 35th year in 2024.

GRG’s History

Our company was founded by Irene F. Goodman, Ed.D. She started the company in 1989 as a sole proprietor (dba Sierra Research Associates), providing a variety of research, consulting, training, and product development services. Gradually, she began to specialize in the evaluation of a wide range of educational programs. By 1995, with enough projects and clients to warrant hiring additional staff, Dr. Goodman decided to form a corporation called Goodman Research Group, Inc, known as GRG.

As the company grew in size and scope, it was extremely important to us that we remain a workplace that reflects a strong commitment to community and collaboration, both among staff members and with clients. At its height, the company had 16 employees and several research consultants. In 2018, we strategically decided to scale back our staff, with the thought that “lean and mighty” could still serve our clients well while helping to nurture staff well-being. Fortunately, this has been the case; our highly qualified and deeply experienced senior staff continue to provide rigorous evaluation research for very satisfied clients.

Under Dr. Goodman’s strong leadership over 35 years, GRG earned a reputation for its rigorous, high-quality work and impeccable client service. Working individually and in teams, we combine knowledge and experience in education, psychology, science, health, history, technology, the arts, and human development, Each project at GRG is tackled by one or two staff members who are best suited to the needs of the job. They are regularly assisted by graduate student interns from local universities.

Colleen F. Manning was the first full-time research assistant hired to assist Irene F. Goodman. For the next five years, GRG grew quickly, with Colleen making her way from research assistant to research associate, then successively Senior Research Associate, Director of Research, and finally Vice President, before assuming the presidency in October 2023.