We move ideas forward.
Be Strategic Research
About Us
Be Strategic Research, LLC was founded on the belief that evidence-driven decision-making should be at the core of how organizations—from schools and foundations to businesses and public agencies—navigate complexity and pursue impact. Our mission is simple: to improve individual and societal well-being by advancing the use of rigorous research, smart strategy, and meaningful collaboration.
We believe that education—in the broadest sense—is a lifelong process. It shapes how we learn, lead, and make decisions across every sector. Whether in classrooms, boardrooms, or legislative halls, we support our partners in using data and research to drive better outcomes. Our work spans traditional and nontraditional education spaces, helping clients ask sharper questions, uncover insights, and design solutions that matter.
We bring deep expertise in areas like survey design, administrative and qualitative data analysis, causal inference, and research planning. But at our core, we're passionate about making research not only rigorous but also accessible, creative, and energizing. We’re here to tackle tough challenges with clients who share our belief that informed decisions can change lives—and we consider every partnership an opportunity to do just that.
Meet the Founder & CEO
Dr. Breyon Williams
I’m an applied economist with a passion for turning complex data into clear, actionable insights. I work with foundations, nonprofits, research firms, and academic institutions to evaluate programs, design research strategies, and inform decision-making—especially in the areas of education, workforce development, and digital learning.
Over the past decade, I’ve worked across government, consulting, and policy research settings to drive meaningful change. At South Carolina’s Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Office, I supported public finance and legislative analysis at the state level. At Analysis Group, I sharpened my analytic and programming skills through litigation support for high-profile cases in the antitrust and pharmaceutical sectors. At Mathematica, I led large-scale evaluations and technical assistance efforts for clients like the U.S. Department of Education, helping education leaders across the country design impactful programs and use evidence to guide decision-making.
Now, as an independent consultant, I partner with organizations like The Gates Foundation and Tyton Partners on cutting-edge research and strategy projects. With the Gates Foundation, I support product research for AI-embedded digital learning tools—helping to shape the development and testing of EdTech products in real-world settings. With Tyton, I’m leading a multi-sector survey effort to understand how K–12 systems, colleges, and workforce agencies are using and adapting the Education to Workforce Framework.
My work often involves:
Designing and managing rigorous evaluations from end to end
Providing technical assistance on program design, measurement, and strategy
Synthesizing quantitative and qualitative data to generate practical insights
Supporting learning agenda development, KPI dashboards, and logic models for philanthropic and research partners
Applying a range of methods—including causal inference, A/B testing, survey design, and qualitative synthesis—to help organizations get clarity on what works
I’m also a proud alum of the American Economic Association Summer Fellowship at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. I earned my B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of South Carolina. Born and raised in Columbia, SC, I bring both personal perspective and professional rigor to work that aims to expand opportunity and improve well-being.