Tara is author of Unjust Conditions, an award-winning ethnography of women’s experiences of the world’s biggest anti-poverty programs. She is a Canada Research Chair in Gender, Development and Global Public Policy and Assistant Professor at UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Her research explores how power operates in development, with a focus on gender data, social protection, and care work. She is a Gates Cambridge Scholar, and was a proud board member of the Kelowna Women’s Resource Centre, not far from her grandmother’s birthplace, Ladysmith. Tara oversees Ladysmith’s social protection, care, and economic empowerment portfolios.
Lorena’s research explores how different types of data shape visibility and action in development, with a focus on gender-related violence. Currently, she is co-authouring a book about the ‘gender data revolution’ with her co-founder and feminist-thought-partner-in-crime, Dr. Tara Patricia Cookson. Lorena’s work is informed by her previous experience as a frontline practitioner and lecturer at UCLA’s International Institute. She earned her PhD from the University of London as a School of Social Sciences Fellow and Chair of the Gender & Social Policy in Latin America Academic Working Group. Lorena oversees Ladysmith’s gender-related violence, social norms, and technology & digitization portfolios.
Kylie brings over 12 years of operations and administrative experience in a range of academic and health-focused organizations. She holds a BA in Health Studies, Health Policy and Evaluation from the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. Kylie is responsible for various behind-the-scenes functions that are vital to Ladysmith’s success, from project management and operational workflows to human resources. When out-of-office, Kylie can be found putting her UBC Farms Certificate in Permaculture Design to good use, growing a multitude of flowers and green things.
Lily brings expertise at the nexus between gender, climate, and social protection, including gender and shock responsive social protection, social norm change, and climate justice, mitigation, and adaptation. She has consulted for clients such as UNICEF and collaborated on research with the German Corporation for International Cooperation and the Institute of Development Studies. She is committed to tackling social justice issues by transcending disciplinary boundaries and bridging academia and development practice. Lily holds a BA in Liberal Arts and Sciences from University College Maastricht and a MSc in Environment, Politics and Society from University College London.
Maria Klara is an interdisciplinary researcher specialized in the political economy of development, social policy, and women’s empowerment through gender-transformative action. She holds a PhD in Public Policy from the United Nations University’s Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology, and an MA in Governance and Development from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. Her work bridges academic research and development practice and has been published in leading journals such as Social Policy and Administration and the European Journal of Development Research.
Lucía’s research focuses on the nexus of gender and technology, applying feminist and decolonial approaches to data, artificial intelligence and innovation mainly in the Global South. She formally served as Country Director of Ladysmith’s “Cosas de Mujeres” project. Lucía provides strategic and technical advising on gender and inclusion across a host of projects including Canada’s International Development Research Centre’s Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa. Lucía is a Chevening Scholar and holds an MA in Postcolonial Culture and Global Policy from Goldsmiths, University of London. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Cultural Studies at Justus Liebig University Giessen.
Rima is an interdisciplinary researcher focused on poverty and development, social protection and gender with nearly a decade of experience. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Economics from the American University of Beirut. She has led and supported research projects focused mainly on the Middle East and North Africa region, commissioned by international organizations namely UN Women, ILO, UNHCR, UNIDO, among others. Her experience includes developing and conducting mixed-methods research approaches and she strives through her work to advocate for action towards social justice. Her work can be found in the Journal of Development Economics, Social Indicators Research and World Development.
Norma is a Mexican advocate for human rights and holds a BA in International Relations and a Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs from the University of British Columbia, with a specialization in public policy and gender justice. She has conducted research on key development issues such as gender data, care systems, and child marriage and has supported engagements with UNICEF Latin America, UNICEF Dominican Republic, and UN Women. Norma also brings direct experience with civil society organizations, including Equis Justice for Women, where she worked in the fundraising area.
Eleonora’s research focuses on the intersections between gender, technology, and digitization. She brings cross-sectoral experience through work with NGOs like Doctors Without Borders and tech start-ups like VIOLA, a feminist app focused on addressing gender-based violence. She is passionate about leveraging principles of data feminism to analyze tech policies, digitization trends, and address algorithmic biases in order to advance social justice and gender equality. Eleonora holds a MA in International Affairs, with a focus on International Security, from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin and a BA in International Studies and European Institutions from the University of Milan.
Kiran is a gender and armed conflict analyst with nearly a decade of experience. She has led and supported research projects across the globe and enjoys developing interdisciplinary and multi-methods approaches to address gendered violence and inequalities in war and conflict. Her work can be found in Theory & Society, Violence Against Women, Third World Quarterly, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and Oxford University Press, among others.
Julia leads our Women, Peace and Security+ Portfolio, to which she brings her in-depth knowledge about gender and conflict, authoritarian backlash, feminist mobilization, violence against women, and gender and peacebuilding. She is the author of High-Risk Feminism in Colombia, an award-winning book documenting the experiences of grassroots women’s organizations that united to demand gender justice during and in the aftermath of Colombia’s armed conflict. Julia is a Wallenberg Academy Fellow at the Swedish Defence University. She earned her PhD in Sociology from Oxford, and is a former Commonwealth Scholar, SSHRC Doctoral Fellow , and Marie Curie Global Research Fellow.
Erin is a mixed methods, interdisciplinary scholar and consultant dedicated to participatory, collaborative, and actionable research. She is an expert in gender, agriculture, norms, and health and works closely with consumers, funders, and participants to ensure that research is designed for purpose and results in findings and products that can improve policy, programming, and strategy for stakeholders at all levels. She earned her PhD in Economics from the University of Colorado and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University. Her research has appeared in outlets such as World Development, the Journal of Development Studies, and Maternal and Child Health.
Allison brings expertise on gender perspective and international law as related to conflict and peace. In previous engagements, she supported the Inter-American Commission of Women at the Organization of American States in their efforts to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda and move beyond traditional concepts of security to better address the complex challenges women face. Allison is also a research associate at the Kroc Institute and has worked with clients such as the World Food Programme and UN Women. Allison holds an MA in Peacebuilding from the Universidad de los Andes and an MA in International Law.
Omowumi is a public health researcher with expertise in gender-based violence, adolescents and women’s health, especially those in urban slums and low-income settings. She is interested in showing through her research how poverty is interlinked with adolescents’ and women’s health, including intimate partner violence. She obtained her PhD in Epidemiology, and Public Health from the University of Ibadan and has authored and contributed to many scientific articles on gender-based violence and public health research in Nigeria.
Opeyemi is a seasoned public health lecturer and research consultant with more than a decade of experience in health technology development, maternal, newborn, and child health, non-communicable diseases, neglected tropical diseases, and global health, including gender studies. She holds a Master of Public Health and a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health from the University of Ibadan. She is the Head of the Public Health Department at Adeleke University in Nigeria. Opeyemi has provided invaluable consultation to clients including the WHO and UNICEF.
Nora Suyunalieva is an expert in gender equality and social inclusion, with over 12 years of experience working on women’s rights, GBV, and safeguarding against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment. Her work spans collaborations with international organizations like UNICEF, UNFPA, USAID, and the World Bank, focusing on integrating gender considerations into policies and development projects across Central Asia and beyond. With advanced degrees in Gender and Development, Development Policies and Practices, and an MBA, her expertise lies in transferring research-driven insights into practical strategies that drive inclusive and sustainable development.
Dr. Katie Tavenner is a global expert in gender equity and women’s empowerment in agricultural development. By translating her research into actionable solutions, she has guided organizations like GIZ, CGIAR, and SERVIR Global in integrating gender data into strategic planning, project implementation, and measurement frameworks, including climate-smart indicators and MRV systems. Katie earned her PhD in Rural Sociology and Women’s Studies from Penn State and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at ILRI. She is passionate about creating gender-responsive and transformative strategies that empower institutions to deliver meaningful outcomes for women farmers, agribusinesses, and value chain actors in climate-resilient, low-carbon agrifood systems.
