Meet the team

Dr Stephanie Smith is an evaluation, implementation and systems change specialist with over 15 years' experience helping organisations use evidence to improve outcomes for babies, children, young people, and families. A research psychologist by background, she specialises in mixed-methods evaluation, implementation science and evidence-informed service improvement, with particular expertise in early years, supporting mental health across the life course, and place-based approaches.

Stephanie enjoys working at the intersection of research, policy and practice, bringing together funders, local authorities, charities and delivery organisations to translate evidence into practical action. She specialises in developing and refining theories of change, implementation strategies, learning systems and evaluations that support continuous improvement.

Before establishing her consultancy, Implement Better, Stephanie was an Associate Director at the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI), where she led a portfolio of national evaluation and implementation projects, including the multi-site evaluation of Thrive at Five, the Early Years Library pilot trial, and the development of guidance on theory-informed implementation and process evaluations for the Youth Futures Foundation. Prior to CEI, she held senior research and academic roles at the National Children's Bureau (NCB) and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London.