About Us
Paul Elam
Project Manager
Paul Elam, Ph.D., has more than 15 years of experience working as a team builder and is recognized for his ability to assist government, academic, community, and philanthropic organizations with pressing sociological issues. His work has included extensive research on disproportionate treatment of African American youths in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Contact Information:
517-485-4477 pelam@publicpolicy.comEducation:
Doctorate in family and child ecology with minors in criminology, community services, and measurement and methods; master’s degree in criminal justice and urban studies; and bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University. Also notable: Executive Committee member of the American Society of Criminology's Division on People of Color.
Dr. Elam is currently the project director for an evaluation of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's investments in Michigan. The 30-month assessment of more than 115 grants will provide the Foundation with valuable information about the progress grantees have made in achieving their goals. The evaluation will will include site visits, focus groups, technical assistance, database design and analysis, and strategic planning. It will also assess the grants through a race equity lens.
Dr. Elam has wide experience and competency in research and analysis, program and policy development, grant administration and contract compliance, and university partnership building. He was project manager for the Michigan Child Welfare Improvement Task Force, principal investigator for the Ingham County Youth Risk Factor analysis, principal investigator in an overview of the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility; and evaluator for the Ingham County/City of Lansing Community Coalition for Youth Title V Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program.
Dr. Elam is managing a project with the Michigan Department of Human Services, Bureau of Juvenile Justice and the Michigan State Court Administrator’s Office to help state and local governments prevent and control juvenile delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system. This project involves helping to develop and implement strategies to deinstitutionalize status offenders, separate juveniles from adults in institutions, remove juveniles from adult jails and lockups, and reduce disproportionate minority contact. He is PPA's lead researcher for the Michigan Coalition for Race Equity, a statewide alliance studying racial inequities and developing strategies for policy makers, civic leaders, and civil servants.
In addition, Dr. Elam worked with the Kellogg Foundation to develop a systematic process for identifying and engaging students of color in Michigan’s new economy. This project was designed to ensure that students of color have equitable opportunities for securing employment in the new economy.
Dr. Elam also worked with the Michigan Department of Corrections and the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency on the Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative. He worked with these partners to implement a statewide model that connects recently released prisoners with the resources necessary for a successful reintegration into society.
Prior to joining PPA, Dr. Elam worked as the grants and program coordinator for the City of Lansing Human Relations and Community Services Department. He has been successful in securing more than $15 million dollars in federal, state, and private contracts and grants to develop and maintain human services in the City of Lansing, Ingham County, and the State of Michigan. Dr. Elam has also worked with several city, county, and state coalitions to help develop community- and school-based programs.
Dr. Elam has also worked as a research and teaching assistant at Michigan State University in the Departments of Urban Affairs, Criminal Justice, and Family and Child Ecology, where he assisted professors with the study and instruction of crime, juvenile delinquency, research methodology, multiculturalism, demography, urbanism, and multicultural communication. He has also worked as an institutional research analyst at Lansing Community College where he assisted with studies on student retention, enrollment forecasting and trends, institutional program effectiveness, and student satisfaction.