2014- In partnership with PFM, The Institute completed a shared services study under the EIP program for Columbia and Montour Counties. The study consisted of management and financial audits, a shared services report, and an implementation plan.
Brigitte Guariglia
Brigitte joined The Institute as a Research Analyst September 2024.
Brigitte’s specialty is in quantitative data analysis, with a primary focus on health disparities within underserved communities. She has presented research on community-based participatory research performed in Peru and the Dominican Republic and disseminated findings on a research study on mental health resource access among Latino immigrants residing in Philadelphia.
As a Research Analyst, Brigitte works on the annual Indicators report, authoring articles for the Quarterly Economic Tracker, and performs primary and secondary data analysis and interpretation for client projects and subject matter task force research.
She graduated from Temple University in 2024 with a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management, with a certificate in Global Health, and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Temple University.
Jean Holmgren
Marketing and Communications Manager
Jean joined The Institute in August 2024 as the Marketing and Communications Manager, bringing nearly 15 years of experience in non-profit writing and marketing experience to the organization. In this newly created role, Jean is managing The Institute’s website and social media, developing external communications, marketing materials, and public relations, and assisting with writing and editing projects at the organization.
After graduating from King’s College with a degree in English, Jean started her career as a content writer for digital advertising at a web development and marketing firm. During her time there, she learned about website management, search engine advertising, and search engine optimization techniques. Jean took these skills and expanded them at her next role at Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS), where she spent 14 years managing all aspects of their digital marketing, including online fundraising, and supported traditional point person for press releases and other content. She regularly assisted the executive team with speech writing and content for their annual report. Jean also assisted with legislative outreach, developing support materials for MFHS leadership.
Jean is also a graduate of the Leadership Northeast Core Class of 2020.
Tim Ooms, MBA
Research Analyst
Tim Ooms is a Research Analyst at The Institute, where he supports data-driven research, policy analysis, housing initiatives, and economic and community development projects throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. Since joining The Institute in 2024, he has contributed to the regional indicators project, the Policy and Economy Trackers, and a range of strategic initiatives focused on strengthening communities and informing public decision-making.
In his role, Tim serves as lead analyst on several major projects, including the North Scranton Neighborhood Plan, CONNECT and Luzerne Learns to Work initiatives, and NeighborWorks post-purchase housing programs. He also serves as staff analyst for The Institute’s housing task force, contributed to the Luzerne County Housing Needs Assessment, and represents NEPA Moves in work that connects transportation planning with housing access.
Tim’s professional background spans research, public policy, economic development, marketing analytics, and government affairs. Before joining The Institute, he held roles with the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and Nexstar Media Group, Inc., where he prepared data reports, supported business development, contributed to public policy initiatives, and led government affairs work. His voting-related research at Nexstar helped inform an episode of Pennsylvania This Week, on which he was also interviewed.
Tim earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from King’s College and a Master of Business Administration from Wilkes University. He also holds a certificate in Policy Advocacy from Cornell University and is a graduate of Leadership Northeast’s Core Program.
Outside of work, Tim enjoys spending time with his brothers, Dylan, Odin, and Doug, and participating in outdoor activities such as golf and skiing.
Michael Ray Shuba
GIS Analyst and Research Assistant
Michael joined The Institute as a Research Assistant in October 2023.
Michael’s expertise is in quantitative data analysis and GIS mapping. He has gathered and analyzed data for paleo-glacial reconstructions, researched and gathered data for soil analysis assisting in the San Luis Valley, Colorado mountain farming community, and used different types of Geographical information systems such as ArcMap(desktop) and Google Earth Pro. Michael’s background in data analysis and research within the environmental sciences has helped prepare him for his role as a research assistant at The institute.
As an undergraduate in such a geographically rich area as the San Luis Valley Co., Michael was able to learn how interconnected a community is with their regional environment through extracurricular courses that focused on water, anthropogeny, and soils. During this time, Michael also found community among his fellow scientists working as a GIS Teaching Assistant & Tutor, Ryan Museum Curator & Tour Guide, summer Research Assistant, and Geological Tour Guide for the NEXT50 programs.
As a GIS analyst and research assistant, Michael has been collecting and analyzing data for a number of projects. Shuba supports client and community based research with GIS map analysis and created the Indicators map dashboard “A.T.L.A.S.” for the Data Dashboard. In addition, he maps data on a variety of client projects. Shuba supports the community engagement team in field research.
Michael graduated from Adams State University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Geography and Conservation. Michael plans to build upon his skills in GIS, while also focusing on Non-Profit business analysis.
Administrative Coordinator
Emily Bauer joined The Institute in September 2023.
Born and raised in Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania, she went on to attend Arcadia University and the Umbra Institute, where she received her degree in International Business and Culture.
As the Administrative Coordinator,
Emily oversees organizational lines of communication, scheduling, and event coordination. She also helps manage the internship program as well as mentoring activities with students from our partnering professional schools.
Her other responsibilities include responding to general inquiries and information requests, exchange of calls and correspondence, and coordinating information requests from the community and media.
Emily also creates and manages content for social media, eblasts, newsletters, press releases, and website updates.
Emily assists with website functionality and secondary research. Additionally, she produces the weekly Institute Review and coordinates The Institute’s polling program and cost of living research.
Prior to her time at The Institute, she served as a Market Coordinator at French American Chamber of Commerce in Philadelphia and as a Development Associate at Elan Skilled Nursing and Rehab.
Outside of work Emily is an avid reader and traveler and has mastered multiple languages.
Research Assistant
Sarah, a former Institute intern, joined The Institute in April 2021 as a Research Assistant. She started her new role as a Research Analyst in January 2024.
Sarah’s expertise is in quantitative data analysis using descriptive and inferential statistics. She has expanded her experience into labor market analysis and expanding her subject matter expertise in health and health care.
Sarah has been working on the annual Indicators report, authoring articles for the Quarterly Economic Tracker as well as working on primary and secondary data analysis and interpretation for client projects and subject matter task force research.
Sarah also prepares analytical plans, survey analyses, and other reports for health-related organizations. She serves as a mentor for medical students and residents that are part of our Academic Partnership.
Sarah graduated from Misericordia University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics and minors in Management and Mathematics. She is now pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Social Research and Data Analysis at Montclair State University.
Founding CEO and Board Member
In 2026, Ooms will serve as an advisor to the President & CEO, provide staff professional development, provide support services and participate in some research, and serve as a board member.
Prior to 2026, Ooms was responsible for all facets of research, organizational strategy, management and an active principal investigator in Institute research. Ooms has been nationally recognized as a leader in regional economic development. She turned that skill into a research institute to help other regions develop and prosper. Her strategic skills have allowed The Institute to expand its services to the private and non-profit sectors for research and analysis in community health needs assessments, strategic planning, market and feasibility studies, and economic impact analysis. Ooms’ leadership has expanded The Institute’s work to other states. Under her direction, The Institute has completed over 200 client and community based studies. These studies have resulted in new jobs, new programs, sustained initiatives, and new legislation throughout Pennsylvania and in New York. Ooms also serves on several local and regional non-profit boards.
In 2024, Ooms was awarded the third Douglas G. Allen award for leadership and collaboration by the Moses Taylor Foundation. In 2016, Ooms was named Innovator of the Year by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry for the development of various community initiatives.
From 1997 to 2004, Ooms served as President/CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership (IEEP), Riverside, CA, and two sister companies, The Inland Empire Tourism Council and the Inland Empire Foundation. IEEP is responsible for the regional marketing, attraction, and recruitment of new business to the region, the expansion and retention of existing business, film, tourism, high-tech regional development, a workforce collaborative, regional visioning & planning, legislative advocacy, and the Small Business Development Center.
As President/CEO, Ms. Ooms completed a reorganization of the company resulting in new programs and services, financial stability and increased prominence in the community. In the period of 1997-2003, IEEP had 70 successful business attractions and retentions resulting in over $730 million in new investment into the region creating over 9,500 jobs. The region had over 5,000 film shoots, demonstrating a little over $425 million in regional impact in the same period. In 1999, she was awarded “Management Leader of the Year,” by the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management, and in 1998, 1999, and 2000 was a recipient of the “Women of Distinction” award given by the Business Press. During her term as CEO, IEEP’s membership grew by 10% and maintained an average membership retention ratio of 93%. IEEP evolved to include a high technology development program and coordination of the region’s workforce collaborative to bring education and business partnerships to benefit employers, employees, and students as well as the Tourism Council and Foundation.
Ms. Ooms is a cum laude graduate of the University of Scranton with a BS in Public Administration and an MBA in Finance.
President
Jill Avery-Stoss, MBA is President and CEO of The Institute, a nonprofit organization offering community-based research and analytics in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Since joining the team in 2018, she has assumed various executive leadership duties. She was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2022, assumed the role of President in January 2025, and acquired CEO responsibilities in January 2026. Jill is also an Aspen Institute Workforce Leadership Fellow.
Prior to her time at The Institute, Jill fulfilled roles in content development and social services. Educational content included benchmark-aligned assessments for high school and university-level curricula. During her time in the social service sector, Jill provided counseling and advocacy for victims of sexual and domestic violence, along with abuse-specific prevention education to audiences ranging from elementary students to individuals at the collegiate and professional levels.
Jill completed her undergraduate studies at Penn State University and earned her MBA from Wilkes University.
Before joining The Institute’s team, Avery-Stoss worked as a writer and editor, producing articles, press releases, and other copy on various educational materials, such as benchmark-aligned passages and assessment items for high school and university-level curricula. She also committed a decade to counseling and advocacy on behalf of victims of sexual and domestic violence.
Jill’s primary objective is to contribute to productive and proactive community impact. Her background is ideally suited to the region’s development needs.