Description: Data collection inside nonprofits has become a dreaded chore.

In this episode, Hillary explores how nonprofit leaders can shift data collection from a burdensome, compliance-driven exercise into a lean, human-centered practice rooted in curiosity. Drawing on her background as both a research-trained academic and a practitioner, Hillary breaks down how to design data systems that answer the questions you actually care about—rather than metrics that simply communicate how busy you’ve been.

The episode offers a practical framework for building a data collection plan you don’t dread, including how to distinguish outputs from outcomes, choose the right tools for individual, group, and societal change, and keep systems simple enough that overburdened teams can sustain them.

Featuring Vanessa Torres, Director of Programs at Freedom a la Cart in Columbus, Ohio, this episode grounds the framework in real-world practice. Vanessa shares how her team streamlined data collection for nearly 150 women each month—creating a system that is rigorous, survivor-centered, and genuinely useful to staff and participants alike.

Mentioned: Maitreyi, A., Conner, A. L., Tumolillo, M. A., Lyons-Padilla, S., Acs, G., Patel, N. G., Markus, H. R., & Eberhardt, J. L. (n.d.). Measuring mobility from poverty toolkit. SPARQtools. https://sparqtools.org/measuringmobility/

Guest: Vanessa Torres is the Director of Programs at Freedom a la Cart in Columbus, Ohio. Freedom a la cart empowers survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation to build lives of freedom and self sufficiency–this is the same organization that helped Vanessa rebuild her own life nearly 15 years ago. She oversees programs that support survivors of human trafficking through workforce development, housing, mentorship, and long-term healing.

Vanessa’s expertise is shaped by more than a decade of professional experience in the justice system and in survivor-centered service delivery. Prior to joining Freedom a la Cart’s leadership team, she worked for the Columbus City Attorney’s Office, where she rose through multiple promotions in the Domestic Violence & Stalking Unit and later became the Chief Assistant to the Chief Prosecutor.

In 2018, she stepped into a history-making role as bailiff for Franklin County’s CATCH Court, the specialized docket for survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Serving alongside the judge who once presided over her own case, Vanessa played a central role in implementing trauma-informed practices and supporting hundreds of participants on their recovery journeys.

A gifted speaker and educator, Vanessa has presented at major national conferences including End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI), the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), and the International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference. In 2023, she addressed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., bringing survivor-informed insight to national policy and business leaders.

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Building a data collection plan we don't dread