As Director of the Office of Research and Impact, Dr. Jacob Campbell leads efforts to cultivate a culture of data-informed decision-making at Idyllwild Arts.

Prior to joining Idyllwild Arts, Jacob was a Retention Specialist at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), supporting academic advisors in using data to close graduation equity gaps. He has also worked with nonprofit organizations dedicated to expanding access to the arts in public schools, serving as Program Manager for Turnaround Arts: California and Communications Associate for P.S. ARTS.

Jacob holds a Ph.D. in Educational Studies from The Ohio State University, and his dissertation explored how Institutional Research professionals make sense of multiracial data. He also earned a M.S. in Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs from Cal Poly, where he now teaches graduate courses in educational research methods and student development. A dancer, dance educator, and choreographer, Jacob received a B.A. in World Arts and Cultures/Dance with a minor in Visual and Performing Arts Education from UCLA.

Jacob enjoys writing in coffee shops, making dumplings, and chasing around his toddler!