Suzanne Delap

About Suzanne Delap

Dr. Delap is the Director of Research for Action’s impact portfolio. She provides project advisement, envisioning, and leadership of research outcomes, scalability, and program evaluation initiatives. Dr. Delap has worked on a national level with federal grants through the Children’s Bureau and has developed projects with state and local funders that highlight the benefits of reciprocal research and community-centered change. Dr. Delap has dedicated her career to improving outcomes for those who have been marginalized by systemic oppression and advocates for best-practice approaches that ensure equitable access for all students. She is a member of Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and implements research practices that honor Indigenous ways of knowing.

Dr. Delap has extensive experience in policy, practice, and research that promotes equitable access to education for all. Before joining RFA, Dr. Delap led multiple mixed-methods research projects at the University of Denver and Early Milestones, including capacity-building and innovative initiatives at the intersection of public education, early childhood, and Indigenous studies. Her recent work has included leading the Capacity Building Center for Tribes through ACF, developing a statewide study of the impact of COVID-19 on Colorado’s early childhood sector, and highlighting outcomes for children, families, and the workforce in the Denver Preschool Program. During her tenure as a school psychologist, she also provided SEL and diagnostic services to students in the Denver Metro area, and she continues to work with children and families through her education-focused private practice.