The D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) is proud to announce the appointment of Stacy Hawkins as the new managing director of research and evaluation. A nationally respected behavioral research scientist, Hawkins brings more than 15 years of experience leading applied research focused on the health, resilience, and readiness of military service members, veterans, and their families.
Hawkins most recently served as chief of family research and principal investigator at Booz Allen Hamilton, where she led a multidisciplinary team producing technical reports, policy briefs and peer-reviewed publications used by military leaders and program designers. Prior to that, Hawkins served as a researcher at the University of Arizona and the RAND Corporation. Her publications have appeared in leading journals such as Family Process, Journal of Family Psychology, Military Behavioral Health and Evaluation Review.
A key part of her vision at IVMF is to expand the reach and impact of the institute’s research and evaluation agenda. That includes focusing on the most at-risk populations in the veteran community, growing partnerships and pursuing opportunities that build on IVMF’s interdisciplinary foundation.
“I’ve always been drawn to applied research. Even in graduate school, I knew I wanted my work to not only be high-quality, but to have a meaningful impact on real people,” says Hawkins. “The IVMF’s work is exceptional—I’ve followed it for years, especially on the research and evaluation side. I love bringing data, evidence and science into the conversation for policymakers and program leaders, giving them findings they can apply in ways that truly help.”
Hawkins steps into the role at a pivotal moment for both the IVMF and the broader veteran community. The needs of transitioning service members, military spouses and veteran families are evolving. Questions around employment, mental health, family support and community reintegration require research that is timely, relevant and practical. Hawkins’ arrival strengthens the IVMF’s mission to meet those challenges through evidence-based solutions rooted in academic excellence and real-world application.
“Syracuse University is proud to be an R1 institution where research drives national impact,” says Ray Toenniessen, deputy executive director of the IVMF. “Stacy brings academic rigor and a deep understanding of the human experiences behind the data. Her expertise in the military and veteran community has already produced impactful work, and we look forward to her leadership in ensuring our research at the D’Aniello IVMF remains both relevant and actionable.”
A champion of applied and community-centered research, Hawkins has spent her career focused on translating science into better programs and policies. She has led large-scale evaluation and research projects for the Department of Defense and other federal agencies, including studies on parental leave in the military, family program effectiveness and mental health outcomes for military-connected youth. Her work has influenced how the military approaches integrated prevention, social support systems and family readiness.
Hawkins holds both a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in psychology from Claremont Graduate University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She has served as a keynote speaker at the Association of the United States Army and has presented her work to numerous military and academic audiences. Over her career, she has secured significant research funding and mentored emerging scholars across both academic and applied settings.
Her appointment also represents the continuation of the IVMF’s leadership in national veteran research. The institute regularly contributes to policy discussions and congressional testimony, providing data and insights on topics such as veteran employment, entrepreneurship, access to education and community reintegration. With the support of Syracuse University and its academic enterprise, the IVMF maintains one of the largest and most respected research portfolios focused on the military-connected population.