Sara Bayless (she/her) | Vice President | sbayless@omni.org

Dr. Sara Bayless is a Vice President at OMNI Institute, a member of the Executive Management Team, and serves in a senior project leadership and oversight role focusing on our Economic Security and Children & Families practice areas. Dr. Bayless’s academic training and applied social science consulting career has focused on advanced quantitative methods and leading teams to complete complex research and evaluation projects.

Dr. Bayless leads OMNI Institute’s expanding practice in evaluating social return on investment (SROI) and impact investing models, and modeling the effectiveness of guaranteed basic income (GBI) programs. She oversees an effort over the course of more than a decade to build and advance the evidence base for family support models, most recently serving as Co-Investigator on a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Family Resource Centers funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

In addition to providing senior oversight on our most methodologically complex quantitative projects, Dr. Bayless oversees OMNI’s internal Quantitative Methods Best Practice Team that sets the standard for how OMNI’s staff apply and innovate on quantitative methods across all projects.

Dr. Bayless serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Youth and Adolescence and volunteers her time as a member of the board of directors for Social Venture Partners - Denver. Outside of work, Dr. Bayless is busy raising two boys, encouraging them to laugh at her bad jokes and find joy in the day to day.

“I love translating data into something meaningful and actionable, and using social science methods to serve communities. Everyone has expertise to bring to the table, and collaborations mean I am always learning myself.”

Content Expertise

Children and Families

Economic Security

Education

Education

Fordham University
Ph.D., Applied Developmental Psychology
M.A., Applied Developmental Psychology

Tufts University
B.A., Psychology

+ Certifications, Memberships, Awards, and Service

  • Institute of Education Sciences' What Works Clearinghouse Group Design Standards, Version 4.1
  • Partner and 2021 Board Chair, Social Venture Partners - Denver (2016-present)
  • Editorial Board Member, Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2016-present)
  • Ad Hoc Reviewer, Child Development; Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology; Journal of Research on Adolescence, (2013-present)
  • Spirit of Service Award Winner, Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking (2018)
  • Distinguished Research Fellowship, Fordham University (2011-2012)
  • Magna Cum Laude, Tufts University (2008)

+ Selected Publications

  1. Richmond, M.K., Bayless, S. D., & Haymond, T. (under review). A Validation Study of the Colorado Family Support Assessment 2.0.
  2. Sladek, M. R., Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Hardesty, J. L., Aguilar, G., Bates, D., Bayless, S. D., Gomez, E., Hur, C. K., Ison, A., Jones, S., Luo, H., Satterthwaite-Freiman, M., & Vázquez, M. A. (in press). “So, like, it’s all a mix of one”: Intersecting contexts of adolescents’ ethnic-racial socialization. Child Development. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13756
  3. Sladek, M. R., Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Hardesty, J. L., Aguilar, G., Bates, D., Bayless, S. D., Gomez, E., Hur, C. K., Ison, A., Jones, S., Luo, H., Satterthwaite-Freiman, M., & Vázquez, M. A. (in press). “So, like, it’s all a mix of one”: Intersecting contexts of adolescents’ ethnic-racial socialization. Child Development. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13756
  4. Zeiders, K. H., Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Fuentes, S., Updegraff, K. A., Bayless, S. D., & Jahromi. L. B. (2021). Latina/o youths’ discrimination experiences in the U.S. Southwest: Estimates from three studies. Applied Developmental Science, 251(1), 51-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2018.1527695
  5. Bayless, S. D., Jenson, J. M., Richmond, M. K., Pampel, F. C., Cook, M., & Calhoun. M. (2018). Effects of an afterschool literacy intervention on the reading skills of children in public housing communities. Child and Youth Care Forum. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-018-9442-5
  6. Cheon, Y. M., Bayless, S. D., Wang, Y., & Yip, T. (2018). The development of ethnic/racial self labeling: Individual differences in context. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Advance online publication. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0843-4
  7. Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Kornienko, K., Bayless, S. D., Updegraff, K. A. (2018). A universal intervention program increases ethnicracial identity exploration and resolution to predict adolescent psychosocial functioning one year later. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0766-5
  8. Zeiders, K. H., Bayless, S. D., Derlan, C. L., Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Updegraff, K. A., & Jahromi. L. B. (2017). Discrimination and ethnic-racial identity: Understanding direction of effects using within- and between-person analyses. Child Development. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/cdev
  9. Wang, Y., Douglass, S., & Yip, T. (2017). Longitudinal relations between ethnic/racial identity process and content: Exploration, commitment, and salience among diverse adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 53(11), 2154-2169. doi: 10.1037/dev0000388
  10. Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Douglass, S., Updegraff, K., & Marsiglia, F. (2017). A small scale randomized efficacy trial of the Identity Project: Promoting adolescents’ ethnic-racial identity exploration and resolution. Child Development. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12755
  11. Juang, L., Hou, Y., Bayless, S. D., Kim, S. K., & (2017). Time-varying associations of parent adolescent conflict and youth adjustment among Chinese American families. Developmental Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/dev0000475
  12. Jahromi, L. B., Zeiders, K. H., Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Updegraff, K. A., & Douglass, S. (2017).Coparenting conflict and academic readiness in children of teen mothers: Effortful control as a mediator. Family Process. Advance online publication. 10.1111/famp.12290
  13. Douglass, S., Jeswani, S., & Yip, T. (2017). Considering friends within the context of peers in school for the development of ethnic-racial identity. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 46(2), 300-316. doi:10.1007/s10964-016-0532-0
  14. Douglass, S., & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2017). Examining discrimination, ethnic-racial identity status, and youth public regard among Black, Latino, and White adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 27(1), 155-172. doi: 10.1111/jora.12262
  15. Douglass, S. & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2016). Time-varying effects of family ethnic socialization on ethnic-racial identity development among Latino adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 52(11), 1904-1912. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dev0000141
  16. Douglass, S., Wang, Y., & Yip, T. (2016). The everyday implications of ethnic-racial identity processes: Exploring variability in ethnic-racial identity salience across situations. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45(7), 1396–1411. doi: 10.1007/s10964-015-0390-1 16. Douglass, S., Mirpuri, S., English, D., & Yip, T. (2016). “They were just making jokes”: Ethnic/racial teasing and discrimination among adolescents. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 22(1), 69-82. doi: 10.1037/cdp0000041

+ Selected Presentations

  1. Bayless, S. D. (2018). Evaluation for Water Festivals. Presented to Water Education Colorado’s annual Water Festival Coordinator’s Workshop, February 16, 2018, Littleton, CO.
  2. Bayless, S. D. (2017). Evaluation: Measuring Impact (and More!). Presented to Social Venture Partners – Denver, Leadership Edge Series, October 5, 2017, Denver, CO.
  3. Chae, D. H., Wang, Y., Yip, T., Douglass, S., Slopen, N. B., Lin, J., Epel, E.S., Blackburn, E. H., & Whooley, M. A. (2015). Racial differences in biomarkers of stress and cell aging: Latent transition analysis of 5-year change among patients in the Heart and Soul Study. Paper presented at the 22nd Annual Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society Scientific Meeting, June 3-6, Seattle, WA.
  4. Douglass, S. & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (March, 2015). Time-varying effects of family ethnic socialization on ethnic-racial identity development among Latino adolescents. Paper presented at the Society for Research in Child Development 2015 Biennial Meeting, March 18-20, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  5. Douglass, S. & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (June, 2014). A brief form of the Ethnic Identity Scale: Development and empirical validation. Paper presented at the APA Division 45: Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race 2014 Annual Meeting, June 19-21, Eugene, Oregon.
  6. Douglass, S. & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (May, 2014). Ethnic identity in Latino adolescents: Intervention implications for mental health. Paper presented at the Society for Prevention Research 2014 Biennial Meeting, May 28-30, Washington, D.C.
  7. Douglass, S. (March, 2014). Racial/ethnic teasing: “Just kidding” or not?. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence 2014 Biennial Meeting, March 20-22, Austin, Texas.
  8. Douglass, S. & Yip, T. (April, 2013). Racial/ethnic teasing and anxiety in adolescents: A person-by-context approach. Paper presented at the Society for Research in Child Development 2013 Biennial Meeting, April 18-20, Seattle, Washington.
  9. Douglass, S. & Yip, T. (April, 2013). Specificity in adolescent ethnic self-identification over time: Contextual considerations and identity implications. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development 2013 Biennial Meeting, April 18-20, Seattle, Washington.
  10. Douglass, S., Yip, T., & Shelton, J. N. (May, 2012). Discrimination, anxiety, and private regard: The role of a biracial identity. Paper presented at the APA Division 45: Society for Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues 2012 Annual Meeting, May 24-26, 2012, Ann Arbor, MI.
  11. Douglass, S., Yip, T., & Shelton, J. N. (January, 2012). Peer-based racial microaggressions in adolescence: Disentangling frequency and perception. Paper presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Conference, Jan. 27-29, 2012, San Diego, CA.
  12. Douglass, S., Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2015). Development of ethnic-racial identity among Latino adolescents and the role of family ethnic socialization. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. 41(6), 90-98. doi: 10.1016/j.appdev.2015.09.002
  13. Douglass, S. & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2015). A brief form of the Ethnic Identity Scale: Development and empirical validation. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, 15(1), 48-65. doi: 10.1080/15283488.2014.989442
  14. Douglass, S., Yip, T., & Shelton, J. N. (2014). Intragroup contact and anxiety for ethnic minority adolescents: The influence of ethnic identity and school diversity transitions. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 43(10), 1628-1641. doi:10.1007/s10964-014-0144-5
  15. Shelton, J. N., Douglass, S., Garcia, R., Yip, T., & Trail, T. (2014). The power of intergroup friendships on feeling (mis)understood for ethnic minorities in interracial interactions. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(9), 1193-1204. doi:10.1177/0146167214538459
  16. Seaton, E. K., & Douglass, S. (2014). School diversity and racial discrimination among African American adolescents. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 20(2), 156-165. doi:10.1037/a0035322
  17. Yip, T., & Douglass, S. (2013). The application of experience sampling approachesto the study of ethnic identity: New developmental insights and future directions. Child Development Perspectives,7(4), 211-214. doi:10.1111/cdep.12040
  18. Yip, T., Douglass, S., & Shelton. J. N. (2013). Daily intragroup contact in diverse settings: Implications for Asian American adolescents’ ethnic identity. Child Development, 84(4), 1425-1441. doi:10.1111/cdev.12038

+ Book Chapters

  1. Seaton, E. K., Yip, T. & Douglass, S. (in press). Racial and ethnic discrimination. In R. Levesque (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Adolescence (Vol. 5). New York: Springer.
  2. Umaña-Taylor, A. J., & Douglass, S. (2017). Developing an ethnic identity intervention from a developmental perspective: Process, content, and implementation. In Cabrera, N. J. & Leyendecker, B. (Eds.) Handbook of Positive Development of Minority Children, (pp. 437-453). Springer.
  3. Douglass, S. & Yip, T. (2015). Adolescent ethnic identity in context: Integrating daily diaries, biannual surveys, and school-level data. In Umaña-Taylor, A. & Santos, C. (Eds.) Studying Ethnic Identity: Methodological Advances and Considerations for Future Research (pp. 203-233). American Psychological Association.
  4. Yip, T., Douglass, S., & Sellers, R. (2014). Ethnic and Racial Identity. In J. E. Trimble (Ed.) American Psychological Association Handbook of Multicultural Psychology, Volume 1: Theory and research (pp. 179-205). Washington, DC: APA Press.
  5. Seaton, E. K., Yip, T. & Douglass, S. (2012). Racial and ethnic discrimination. In R. Levesque (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Adolescence (Vol. 4, pp. 2287-2294). New York: Springer.
  6. Yip, T., & Douglass, S. (2011). Ethnic identity of Asian American youth: process, context, outcomes. In Leong, F., Juang, L.,Qin, D. B., Fitzgerald, H. E. (Eds.) Asian American and Pacific Islander Children and Mental Health, Volume 1: Development and Context (pp. 169-192). Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.
  7. Yip, T., & Douglass, S. (2011). The association between ethnic/racial identity and peer relationships across elementary, middle and high school. In Chen, X. & Rubin, K. H. (Eds.) Socioemotional Development in Cultural Context (pp. 167-190). New York: Guilford Publications, Inc.

+ Chaired Conference Symposia

  1. Bayless, S. D. (June, 2018). Activating Communities for Change. Speakers: Ean Thomas Tafoya (Community Organizer), Jeff Tejral (Manager of Water Conservation, Denver Water), Liesl Hans (Water Conservation Program Manager at City of Fort Collins). Moderator: Sara Bayless. Panel at the Watershed Summit, June 28, Denver, CO.
  2. Douglass, S. (April, 2013). Peer-Based Racial/Ethnic Discrimination in Intimate Settings. Speakers: Melissa Delgado, Joanna Williams, Sara Douglass. Moderator: Ronald Taylor. Symposium presented at the Society for Research in Child Development 2013 Biennial Meeting, April 18-20, Seattle, Washington.
  3. Douglass, S. (May, 2012). Minority Identities in the Face of Discrimination: An Exploration of Emotional, Attitudinal, and Behavioral Correlates. Speakers: Lori Hoggard, Matthew Trujillo, Sara Douglass. Moderator: Eleanor Seaton. Symposium presented at the APA Division 45: Society for Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues Conference, May 24-26, 2012, Ann Arbor, MI.