Lead Evaluator
Centerstone Research Institute
Dorado, Puerto Rico
Dayanara M. Torres-Lajara, MPA, is the Lead Evaluator for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in Illinois, supporting SAMHSA-funded clinics in Carbondale and Alton. As an Evaluation Scientist II with Centerstone’s Research Institute, she manages evaluation activities across federally and state-funded programs, including research planning, protocol development, database implementation, and report dissemination. She specializes in both quantitative and qualitative analysis, data visualization, and building systems that strengthen accountability, measure outcomes and inform decision-making in behavioral health.
Previously, Dayanara worked with Mercy Corps in Puerto Rico, advancing monitoring and evaluation for humanitarian response programs following Hurricane María. She also contributed to national research at digitalundivided, supporting publications such as Project Diane 2022 and the Industry Insights Report, which examined systemic inequities in entrepreneurship for Black and Latina women.
Dayanara holds a Master of Public Administration in Government and Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Puerto Rico, and is certified in Project Management for Development Professionals (PMD Pro). Beyond her professional work, she enjoys writing, playing video games, and tackling home repair projects.
Poster 56 - Voices in Partnership: Building Bridges Through a Rural CCBHC Advisory Council
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM MDT