About MDRC

Sutcliffe joined MDRC in 2017. As a research analyst in MDRC’s Center for Applied Behavioral Science (CABS), she works closely with public and nonprofit partners applying the CABS approach to support inclusive organizational innovation and change management. Her primary focus is on identifying system improvements to better support and empower participants and staff members that work with them through key decisions and transitions. She is a project manager on the Washington TANF Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency – Next Generation (BIAS-NG) project and the Transfer Opportunity Project, and a site liaison for the Applied Behavioral Coalition.
Sutcliffe holds a joint bachelor’s degree in psychology and economics from Bard College. Before joining CABS she worked at Kingsborough Community College in an education opportunity program, where she tutored students and launched several initiatives informed by behavioral science.
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MDRC Publications
InfographicBarriers to Student Success and Opportunities for Improvement
December, 2020Working with the City University of New York, MDRC’s Center for Applied Behavioral Science mapped factors that impede students transferring from community colleges. This blueprint shows the stages of the transfer process, with information about challenges at each stage and interventions informed by behavioral science that could help overcome them.
ReportOngoing Implementation Experiences
November, 2019Households receiving federal rental subsidies struggle to become self-sufficient. Jobs Plus provides grants to public housing agencies to offer tenants employment-related services, rent-based work incentives, and community support for work. This report examines a second round of Jobs Plus implementation, including evolving program operations, challenges, resident participation, and technical assistance.
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Other Publications
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Projects
Alexander Mayer, Michelle Ware, Frieda Molina, Hannah Dalporto, Andrea Vasquez, Susan Scrivener, John Diamond, Dorota Biedzio Rizik, Rashida Welbeck, Sophia Sutcliffe, Clinton Key, Melissa Boynton, Austin Slaughter, Erick Alonzo, Kalito Luna, Xavier Alemañy, Melissa WestIncome share agreements ( ISA s) are designed to help students pay for and attend postsecondary education and career training programs. With an ISA , students receive financial support to help cover the cost of their education and, in return, agree to pay a fixed percentage of their future income over a predetermined time period. ISA s are gaining popularity as an...
Caitlin Anzelone, Barbara Condliffe, Rebecca Schwartz, Margaret Hennessy, Xavier Alemañy, Sophia SutcliffeThe Center for Applied Behavioral Science ( CABS ) at MDRC is excited to launch the Applied Behavioral Coalition ( ABC ) project, which partners with nonprofit organizations that serve vulnerable and at-risk populations in the United States. ABC ’s goal is to build each organization’s foundation in behavioral science and human-centered design principles. Leaders, staff...
Jean Grossman, Dan Bloom, Barbara S. Goldman, John Hutchins, Jared Smith, Frieda Molina, Helen Lee, Virginia Knox, Clinton Key, Bret Barden, Jessica Kopsic, Rebecca Schwartz, Emily Marano, Sophia SutcliffeMany human services programs require that applicants complete a series of steps — from providing eligibility to arranging transportation and child care — in order to benefit from services. Program designers often assume that individuals carefully consider their options and make the best decisions for their personal circumstances. Over the past 30 years, however,...