Founders
Daniel Shephard - Director of Implementation Science
An expert in education, evaluation, and behavioral science with over 15 years of experience. Before IS-CS Group, Daniel was an Associate Fellow at the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team, Senior Manager for Research and Education at Aflatoun International, and has consulted for numerous international organizations including the ILO, the OECD, UNESCO, UNODC, the World Bank, and others. He has advised, trained, and evaluated projects for non-profits and government partners in multiple countries. He holds a MSc in Evidence Based Social Intervention from the University of Oxford as well as a MPhil and a PhD in Comparative and International Education from Columbia University.
Daniel is a co-founder and a member of the board of The Implementation Science and Communication Strategies Group. Daniel is also an affiliate of the Office of Evaluation Sciences, a senior adviser and member of the board of Nudge Lebanon, and a Lecturer in Comparative and International Education at the University of Edinburgh.
Tim Shephard - Director of Communication Strategies
Tim Shephard is a creative leader with over a decade of experience in media communications, marketing, and storytelling. He has worked at the Olympics and in Hollywood, led international documentary projects, and built two media companies from the ground up. As a seasoned videographer, editor, and media manager, Tim has supported multi-million dollar initiatives in California and beyond.
In 2014, he founded One Thousand Voices, a platform for amplifying human stories through film, which later became part of the IS-CS Group. His work has taken him across the globe, including extensive time in Lebanon, where he collaborated with local NGOs to capture refugee stories and provide training in media and strategic communication. Tim continues to combine creative vision with purpose-driven impact, helping organizations communicate with clarity, empathy, and power.
Advisory Team
Andreas Hein
Andreas is an expert in evidence based social intervention with a Doctoral degree from Oxford who directs the research and post-graduate school of social work at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Arian Gjikola
Arian has over 8 years of education experience. He holds two Master’s of Education degrees including from the University of Oxford. Arian has extensive expertise in Special Education, school readiness, English learning, and educational research. He is a licensed teacher.
Alexa Varriano
She is a ESL teacher licensed in New York holding two Masters degrees, one being from the University of Oxford. She has extensive experience in school-wide reform initiatives, especially those designed to help teachers use data to improve classroom outcomes.
Board
Daniel Shephard - Founder & Chief Executive
Daniel is a co-founder and a member of the board of The Implementation Science and Communication Strategies Group. On the board, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer. He is leading the organization’s day-to-day operations and project work as President. Daniel is also an affiliate of the Office of Evaluation Sciences, Nudge4 Solutions Lab, and a senior adviser and member of the board of Nudge Lebanon.
Tim Shephard - Founder
Tim is the co-founder and a member of the board of The Implementation Science and Communication Strategies Group. He is currently the Digital Creative Director at Loch Harbour Group.
Messalina Tiro - Treasurer
Messalina is a stakeholder engagement and communication expert with 10 years of experience with multinationals. She has previous experience managing fundraising efforts for a large international non-profit. She holds a degree in Communication and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Calgary.
Christopher Retts - Secretary
Chris is a member of the board and provides input into the use of creative media to share the success stories of projects and on how to integrate film into projects. He took up a position on the board in 2018. He is an expert in film and communications. He is currently the Program Administrator at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center.