Blaire Toso, Ph.D.

Blaire Willson Toso engages in work that supports adult learners in realizing their education, career and life goals. At WestEd she manages the California Adult Education Pipeline Dashboard project, conducts research, provides professional development on topics such as career pathways development and using data and research to inform best practices. Additionally, she is a subject matter advisor on an IES adult education numeracy research grant, is a strand lead for the OCTAE-funded Enhancing Access for Refugees and New Americans project, and a subject matter expert and trainer for the national IET Toolkit and Design Camp project. Before joining WestEd Blaire led her own consulting company and worked at two Penn State centers—The Institute for the Study of Adult Learners and The Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy. She has conducted research and evaluation projects, taught family literacy and adult education courses, as well as designed and developed professional development, including the roll out of College and Career Readiness Standards for adults in Pennsylvania and career pathways implementation. She is interested in how and what supports adult learners successfully navigate educational systems. She earned a Ph.D. in Adult Education at Penn State and a Master’s in TESOL at The Monterey Institute of International Studies.