I2D2 RESOURCE HUB TEAM
Meet The Trusted Team Behind the System
In 2015, Heather Rouse and Cassandra Dorius came together to leverage their combined three decades of experience in education, human services, public health, and integrated data systems.
They brought together leaders from across Iowa’s departments serving young children and their families, secured training and technical assistance to develop Iowa’s model and governance structure, and obtained funding to stand up the system and use it to demonstrate value for informing policy and program improvement. I2D2 was born.
In collaboration with strong Early Childhood Iowa partners spanning diverse systems in the state, this partnership has paved the way for Iowa success. In the words of former ECI Board Chair, the tandem of Rouse and Dorius brings a “palpable level of commitment, a deep understanding of a very complicated system, and a passionate and motivating approach” to the work, which has increased the national visibility of the state of Iowa and Iowa State University as leaders in the use of administrative data systems to inform evidence-based decision making.
In 2019, the dynamic duo was invited to share the successful development of I2D2 at the National Academy of Sciences Committee on National Statistics. With a panel of experts deliberating the value of administrative data, conversations included considerations of how state and municipal integrated data systems could inform national statistical approaches.
Meet our Leaders
Heather Rouse
Director
MEET OUR TEAM
Giorgi Chighladze
Data Scientist
Before joining the I2D2 team as a data scientist in 2021, Gio worked as a data manager and analyst for multi-institutional cross-disciplinary projects involving more than dozen land-grant universities across the Midwest, government institutions and state organizations. Over six years he has curated data from agricultural and environmental studies, and has published two datasets in the National Agricultural Library.
Taylor Nagle
PROGRAM MANAGER
Taylor joined the I2D2 team in early 2023. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Political Science from the University of Iowa. With a career background in public health research administration and non-profit management, she brings valuable insights to the I2D2 team as the Program Manager. Taylor guides I2D2 projects from start to finish, ensuring that deliverables are met for project stakeholders.
Christine Lippard
Research Scientist IV
Christine has collaborated with the I2D2 team since the 2019 Iowa’s Early Childhood Statewide Needs Assessment. Christine’s passion has always been to improve the experiences young children have in group settings and to support the providers teaching and caring for them. Christine has overseen data collection for several projects and collaborates on various analyses and dissemination efforts.
Sharon Zanti
Research Associate
Sharon Zanti joined the I2D2 team in 2024 after receiving her Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of Pennsylvania and serving as a Doctoral Fellow at Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP). Sharon’s scholarship is grounded in strong partnership with state and local agencies and the ethical use of integrated administrative data to address pressing social policy issues. Previously, she held multiple research and analytic roles at the Colorado Department of Human Services, earned her MSW from the University of Denver, and spent several years working in the software industry after graduating with a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia.
MEET OUR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Fattaneh Arabzadehjafari
Graduate Research Assistant
In 2022, Fattaneh joined the I2D2 team as a graduate research assistant at Iowa State University. She began her Ph.D. journey in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies in Fall 2021. Fattaneh’s research focuses on family and children’s mental health and well-being, community and public health interventions, child and family public policy, and disparities and social determinants of health. Her work includes quantitative analysis, survey development, and contributions to projects such as Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV), the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and Early Childhood Iowa Statewide Needs Assessment Report Review Summary (ECI).
Hannah Kim
Graduate Research Assistant
Hannah joined the I2D2 team in 2022 as a graduate research assistant and is currently pursuing her PhD in Human Development and Family Studies at Iowa State University. With a background in Economics and International Studies, her research focuses on early childhood, families, and public policy. She is particularly interested in how young children and families experiencing adversity can better access education, health, and social services and achieve better outcomes, and how these experiences vary by individual, family, and neighborhood characteristics.
At I2D2, Hannah primarily works on Head Start research, as well as projects with Early Childhood Iowa and Iowa Data Drive. Her work includes quantitative analyses, data collection, state partner communications, and dissemination activities. In 2024, she was awarded a dissertation grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.
Kamrunnahar
Graduate research assistant
Kamrunnahar joined the I2D2 team in 2025 as a graduate research assistant and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies at Iowa State University. Her research focuses on the intersection of public policy, gender, and child well-being, with a particular emphasis on early childhood development and broader human development outcomes. Her recent work examined the relationship between women’s education and fertility patterns in Bangladesh, using nationally representative data from the 2022 Household Income and Expenditure Survey.
At I2D2, Kamrunnahar has worked on Head Start research, the Early Childhood Iowa Statewide Needs Assessment, and analyses of child geographic mobility patterns across the state using four cohorts of integrated birth through Kindergarten (2014–2018) data. She brings prior experience in teaching at the university level, as well as research assistantship on policy-focused projects. She has been recognized with the Dean’s Award, Gold Medal for academic excellence, and the James Socknat Memorial Scholarship 2025 for her contributions to research on gender, higher education, and policy. Her work is dedicated to informing policies and practices that promote equity, support young children and families, and advance human development outcomes.
MEET OUR UnderGRADUATE STUDENT
Ava Leibfried
Student Program Assistant
Ava Leibfried joined the I2D2 team in 2024 as a Student Program Assistant. She is currently a junior at Iowa State University studying Agricultural Business. Ava is committed to transforming data into accessible stories that resonate with diverse audiences.
Meet Our Affiliated faculty
Cass Dorius
Co-Founder & Senior Advisor
Cassandra “Cass” Dorius is I2D2’s cofounder and a dedicated public scientist. Her career is driven by a commitment to making science accessible to all. At Iowa State University, she has established programs such as the Data Science for Public Good to bring data knowledge to people. Dr. Dorius is driving positive change for people and communities through data.
Ji-Young Choi
Associate Professor at Ohio State University
Ji-Young is an Associate Professor of Human Sciences at The Ohio State University. Her research interests center on studying how early care and education programs and policies can promote the early development of linguistically and economically diverse children. Ji-Young collaborates on I2D2’s Head Start awards.