ADR Wales is delighted to announce that Faye Gracey, Head of Data Acquisition and Linking for Research (Welsh Government) and ADR Wales lead within Welsh Government, has been selected to join the UK Government Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel (ETAP).
ETAP is a cross-government panel of experts providing independent advice on evaluation design, analytical methods, and the implementation of robust evidence across government programmes. Faye applied to join the panel to help ensure that government evaluations routinely consider the feasibility and value of using administrative data, and to champion the embedding of administrative data in evidence and evaluation activity across the UK Government.
In her role at the Welsh Government, Faye leads UK‑level data acquisition negotiations and is responsible for the strategic direction of data linking on behalf of the organisation. She is a key member of the senior leadership team for statisticians and social researchers within the Welsh Government and is recognised for her strategic influence on the development and use of administrative data for research.
With nearly 20 years of experience working in analytical roles across a wide range of policy areas, Faye has held positions in a private research agency, an inspectorate, a charity, and the media. Beyond government, she contributes to the wider research and evaluation community through her role as an active Council Member of the UK Evaluation Society. She previously served as a Trustee for the Social Research Association (SRA) from 2014 to 2021.
Speaking about her appointment, Faye said: “I am thrilled to join ETAP and contribute to strengthening the use of high‑quality administrative data across UK Government evaluations. This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure that evaluation design fully considers the potential of administrative data from the outset, and I look forward to bringing my experience from ADR Wales and the Welsh Government to the panel’s work.”
Faye’s appointment underscores ADR Wales’ commitment to advancing the safe, ethical, and impactful use of linked administrative data in research and evaluation. It also highlights the leadership role that Welsh Government analytical teams continue to play in shaping data‑driven policy across the UK.