Michelle Woodbridge

Michelle Woodbridge, Ph.D., is a principal scientist in SRI International’s Center for Education and Human Services. Her research focuses on early intervention services and systems of care for children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Currently, she is co-principal investigator of a federally funded efficacy trial of the Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program, a promising intervention for improving the behavior and academic performance of students who have experienced significant traumatic experiences.

Woodbridge is also co-principal investigator of First 5 San Mateo County Comprehensive Evaluation Services, a project to design and implement a comprehensive countywide evaluation based on common outcomes and indicators to enhance F5SMC’s ability to track the impact of investments and progress made toward meeting strategic goals for children ages 0 to 5 and their families. Additionally, Woodbridge co-directs the National Effectiveness Study of First Step to Success, a large-scale randomized trial of an early intervention that helps children who are at risk for developing or who demonstrate antisocial or aggressive behaviors.

From 2004 to 2010, Woodbridge co-directed the National Behavior Research Coordination Center, which supported randomized trials conducted by four university partners to build the evidence base for interventions to improve the behavior and academic achievement of young students with severe emotional and behavior disorders. From 2005 to 2011, she was principal investigator of First 5 Santa Clara County evaluation services, assessing the impact of the county’s comprehensive early childhood system of care for children ages birth through five and their families.

In 2008, she co-authored a What Works Clearinghouse practice guide, “Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom”. In 2010, she co-authored another What Works Clearinghouse practice guide, “Improving Student Behavior in Secondary Schools”. Both guides aim to help educators and administrators develop effective strategies to promote positive student behavior, reduce behavior problems, and enhance the learning and healthy development of all students.

Woodbridge has more than 15 years of experience in research and evaluation of systems of care services for children, including behavioral and mental health, education, juvenile justice, public health, social services, and other community-based services. She is the author or coauthor of numerous articles, book chapters, monographs, and presentations on research and evaluation in systems of care, family involvement in evaluation, educational outreach, inclusion of children with severe emotional and behavioral disturbances, and the use of evaluation data for program improvement and policy development.

Before joining SRI, Woodbridge was a senior policy associate at Georgetown University’s Child Development Center in Washington, D.C. There, she facilitated building the capacity of states and local communities in their evaluation of child and family services in systems of care as part of the National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health.

Woodbridge received her Ph.D. in education with an emphasis in development and disabilities from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Key projects

• Evaluation of First 5 Santa Clara County
• First 5 San Mateo County Comprehensive Evaluation Services
• National Behavior Research Coordination Center (NBRCC)
• National Effectiveness Study of First Step to Success
• Statewide Data Collection and Evaluation of First 5 California Funded Programs
• What Works Clearinghouse