✤ Advancing public health research

Rooted in expertise,
growing public health impact.

Qualitative research and evaluation that amplifies voices, builds evidence, and drives meaningful change.

✤ Your Trusted Partner in Qualitative Research

Mighty Oak Evaluation is a woman-owned small business dedicated to advancing public health research through the expert use of qualitative methods.

Led by Tricia Collins Higgins, PhD, MPH, a seasoned expert with over 20 years of experience, Mighty Oak delivers evidence-based insights that shape impactful programs and policies.

An ancient proverb states:
“Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.”

✤ Partnering Across sectors for public health impact

Mighty Oak empowers organizations to turn their qualitative research goals into actionable outcomes, ensuring every project leads to lasting improvements in public health. We partner with:

Policy Research Firms

Supporting federal contracts with expert qualitative services as a WOSB-certified partner.

Health Philanthropies

Providing qualitative research to amplify community voices and advance health equity.

Health-Focused Nonprofits

Helping mission-driven organizations maximize their impact with efficient, high-quality research.

✤ Expertise Rooted in Passion

With over two decades of experience, Tricia has focused her career on centering voices closest to the issues and uncovering insights that drive change.

Tricia’s affinity for hearing people’s stories and making sense of their experiences led her to focus on the art and science of qualitative research.

She has broad subject matter expertise, and especially enjoys working on research projects related to children and youth, primary care, mental and behavioral health, reproductive health, and health equity.

Before launching Mighty Oak Evaluation, Tricia had a long tenure at Mathematica, where she directed complex, mixed methods evaluations and other projects for clients in the government and philanthropic sectors. She was a supervisor and mentor to dozens of earlier-career staff, and trained many colleagues in the use of qualitative methods.

Tricia holds a PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a MPH from Boston University School of Public Health. Her undergraduate work was in the history of science at Harvard. 

✤ A Foundation in Collaboration and Impact
✤ Tailored solutions for every stage of your project

Mighty Oak empowers organizations to turn ideas into impact through customized qualitative research services.

Designing and implementing qualitative studies

Analyzing and synthesizing data

Developing data collection instruments

Writing and editing reports, briefs, and presentations

Conducting interviews and facilitating focus groups

Training, coaching, and mentoring teams

✤ Supporting your organization Through a variety of roles

✓ Subcontracting as a qualitative methods expert for small business set-asides

✓ Embedding within research teams for project leadership and qualitative research support

✓ Providing extensive quality assurance reviews or writing & editing support

✓ Training individuals and teams in qualitative methods and real-world applications

  • Tricia provided outstanding thought leadership and partnership to a high-visibility qualitative study for a federal client.

    Tricia is an exceptionally skilled qualitative researcher, and produced quality work with efficiency throughout each project phase — from her expert contributions to study conceptualization and design through her navigation of qualitative data collection and polished presentation of findings. Tricia’s ability to quickly discern client needs and priorities and propose practical and effective approaches to addressing them allowed us to deliver superior products under demanding timelines.

    Allison Wishon, Senior Researcher, Mathematica

  • Tricia provided coaching, training, and hands-on support for a graduate student and other members of our team as we took on a qualitative evaluation project.

    Tricia’s expertise was immense, and she was outstanding at helping members of our team build capacity in this area. It’s not everyone who can be both an expert and a coach! Tricia was organized, flexible, and oh-so-easy to work with. We will definitely reach out for future evaluation (or training!) needs!

    Sarah Davis, Business Services Director, Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center

  • Working with Tricia is a highlight of my professional career.

    Beyond being an expert qualitative researcher, Tricia is a calm, grounded presence that makes her colleagues feel at ease. Working with Tricia taught me how to navigate complex challenges with grace and clarity. She is not only greatly skilled at qualitative research, but also genuinely enjoyable to work with. 

    Rumin Sarwar, Senior Researcher, Mathematica

  • As a colleague of Tricia's for nearly two decades, I've witnessed her collaborative style firsthand.

    When you work with Tricia, you get a thoughtful, trustworthy and detail-oriented partner dedicated to the highest quality of research. Tricia puts her full self into her work and her relationship with you. 

    Dominick Esposito, Vice President for Behavioral Health and Health Policy, Westat

  • Tricia is the best kind of colleague: brilliant, compassionate, and humble.

    She has mastered the art of delivering high quality research while maintaining a sense of humor and perspective.

    Rebecca Coughlin, Senior Researcher, Mathematica

  • Tricia is one of my favorite people to work with.

    Her clear, organized communication and overall thoughtfulness helped me contextualize specific research findings and enhanced my understanding of complex issues in primary care, behavioral health, and health policy. Tricia was also a great resource to help design evaluation and other research methods, balancing efficiency and rigor when drafting recruitment strategies and interview protocols.

    Genna Cohen, Senior Researcher, Mathematica 

✤ Grounded in integrity, driven by curiosity

Qualitative research is about more than data: it’s about understanding people and creating meaningful change.

Whether it’s designing a study, mentoring a team, or crafting a report, Tricia’s work is guided by these values:

❖ Quality: Decades of experience and a meticulous approach.

❖ Perspective: Balancing big-picture goals with day-to-day details.

❖ Trust: Honest, open communication and mutual understanding.

❖ Kindness: Empathy, respect, and humor make collaboration effective and enjoyable.

❖ Curiosity: Thoughtful questions and deep listening uncover the “why” and “how” behind every story.

✤ grow meaningful public health solutions

Let’s start a conversation about your qualitative research goals.

If you’d like to connect, please complete this form or email Tricia@MightyOakEval.com.