About me
Schafer joined the University of Nebraska at Omaha as the Director of the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) in 2018, drawn to its strong history and reputation as Nebraska’s go-to source for expert data and
analysis, particularly in their role as the State Data Center for the United States Census Bureau. Since then, she has focused on advancing the organization including growing the budget, fueled by cultivating
community-engaged research projects, expanding community and professional development events, and committing to a communications strategy that aligns with CPAR’s action-oriented approach.
Recent projects lead by Schafer include the Entrepreneurship in Nebraska report, the 2023 Nebraska Healthcare Workforce report, the Nebraska Community Foundation Youth Survey, policy analyses for the Planning Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature, and principal investigator of the Nebraska Rural Transit Project for UNO. Schafer gives over 40 invited presentations a year and responds to even more media and
professional requests for Census data.
