Without people, organizations are merely concepts that are incapable of action. Precision Development is privileged to draw on the talents of a strong multi-national, multi-cultural and multi-talented team dedicated to empowering people living in poverty.
Adeel Shafqat
Adeel Shafqat
Pakistan Country Director
Leadership Team, Pakistan Team
Adeel Shafqat is PxD's Country Director for Pakistan. He holds a Master’s degree in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick. Previously, Adeel worked at a Canadian Public Financial Management services firm where he helped introduce ERP software to governments in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan
Ahmad Ayub
Ahmad Ayub
Senior Research Associate
Pakistan Team
Ahmad Ayub is a Senior Research Associate at PxD Pakistan. He holds an MSc in Development Economics from University of Oxford as a Commonwealth Shared Scholar, and a Bachelors (Hons) in Economics from LUMS. His substantive interests lie in the areas of applied microeconomics, econometrics and research methods. He previously worked on the Asset Transfer Project at Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP) aimed at poverty alleviation of the ultra-poor via asset transfers in parts of Southern Punjab. He has also served as the Project Manager for the Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) financial inclusion drive in Lahore to revolutionize the asset financing for small entrepreneurs being implemented by University of Oxford and LUMS researchers.
Alexander Ramirez
Alexander Ramirez
Head of Software Development
Technology Practice
Alexander Ramirez is PxD's Head of Software Development. He holds a B.S. in Computer and Information Science from East-West University, Chicago. Prior to joining PxD he worked as a software engineer in the financial sector and as a CyberSecurity engineer at various military installations. He is currently also a CyberSecurity instructor at the University of Minnesota. His interests include functional programming, cybersecurity, and automated program synthesis.
Amrita Ahuja
Amrita Ahuja
Board Member
Board of Directors
Amrita Ahuja is a founder of Evidence Action where she led the start-up of Dispensers for Safe Water, and chaired the board of Deworm the World as it scaled to reach 30 million children. Amrita leads the Douglas B. Marshall, Jr. Family Foundation, an innovative funder with a focus on international education. Amrita previously worked as a Management Consultant at the Monitor Group. She holds a Ph.D. in Business Economics from Harvard University. In addition to her service to PxD, Amrita currently serves on the boards of the Global Innovation Fund (UK), STiR Education, and Evidence Action.
Aparna Priyadarshi
Aparna Priyadarshi
Research and Operations Manager
India Team
Aparna Priyadarshi is PxD’s Research & Operations Manager in India. She received her Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs and her BA from the University of Michigan in Economics and Political Science. She has had international development experience in India, West Africa, and Eastern Europe spanning the areas of economic research, program evaluation, and predictive modeling. Aparna’s interests lie in rural development, impact evaluation, data & quantitative analysis, and inequality.
Ashish Kamra
Ashish Kamra
Research Manager
India Team
Ashish Kamra is PxD’s Research Manager in India. He holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai and a B.E. degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh. Ashish has over two years of experience in Big Data Analytics. Before joining PxD, Ashish interned with Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore and EPW Research Foundation. His interest lies in agriculture economics.
Bakhtawar Ali
Bakhtawar Ali
Project Manager
Pakistan Team
Bakhtawar Ali is a Project Manager at PxD Pakistan on the IFAD project. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Applied Statistics from the University of Punjab, Pakistan. In his postgraduate education, Bakhtawar graduated with a perfect GPA and was awarded an Honorary Gold Medal by the Chief Minister on account of his 1st Position in the State. He previously worked with Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) and Pakistan Television Network (PTV). He is currently working with the Government of Pakistan and Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP). His research interests are in agriculture economics, political economy, and development economics.
Bhaumik Shah
Bhaumik Shah
Head of India Operations
India Team
Bhaumik Shah is PxD’s Head of India Operations. Bhaumik holds a MBA in Rural Management. He previously worked with the Institute of Financial Management and Research as a consultant, and at Awaaz.De as the Vice President of Operations. He has led ICT4D interventions in India and Ethiopia. His interest and experience lies in project management and operations.
Billy Diggin
Billy Diggin
Executive Advisory, Tech and Product
Global Team, Leadership Team
Billy Diggin joined PxD in December 2021 in the capacity of Executive Advisory, Tech and Product. He holds Bachelor and Master's degrees in Engineering from the University of Limerick and an MBA from The Smurfit Business School, University College Dublin. Billy has diverse commercial experience across pharma, electronics, semiconductor, insurance healthcare and innovation sectors. In the past, he has helped to deliver targeted healthcare into developing countries and continues to work on developing solutions for Parkinson's Disease
Brian Keefe
Brian Keefe
Director of Finance and Operations
Leadership Team, Global Team
Brian Keefe is PxD’s Director of Finance and Operations. He holds a Masters degree in Business from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Merrimack College. He has over 30 years of experience in Finance and Operations, with the last five years spent working in non-profits. Prior to joining PxD, he worked at Housing Families Inc., Lazarus House, DHL, Ryder and GE.
Brian Ombima
Brian Ombima
Operations Associate
Global Team
Brian Ombima is an Operations Associate at PxD. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Masinde Muliro University. He has several years experience working in international NGOs providing Administrative, Operational and Project Coordination support, and is motivated daily by the desire to change peoples' lives.
Caitlin McKee
Caitlin McKee
Assistant Director, Research
Global Team, Leadership Team
Caitlin McKee is PxD’s Assistant Director, Research. She holds a Master of Public Administration with a certificate in International Development from the University of Washington. She has experience in agricultural research, impact evaluation, and policy analysis and most recently worked for the Center for Global Development in London. Caitlin has implemented randomized control trials in East Africa, notably for cassava farmers in Tanzania and sugarcane growers in Uganda. She has also conducted data analysis on Tanzanian smallholder farmers with projects for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala working on women’s empowerment issues.
Carolyne Nekesa
Carolyne Nekesa
Africa Chief of Operations
Kenya Team, Leadership Team
Carolyne Nekesa is PxD’s Africa Chief of Operations. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BSc. in management from Africa Nazarene University. She has significant experience in partner relationships, project management, and public policy advocacy. She previously worked for Innovations for Poverty Action and has consulted for Nadel University, Evidence Action, and the Programme for Agriculture and Livelihoods in Western Communities.
Charles Misiati
Charles Misiati
Associate Field Manager
Kenya Team
Charles Misiati is an Associate Field Manager at Innovations for Poverty Action in Kenya. He holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Childline College in Nairobi and a Certificate in Supervisory Management from GTI Mombasa. Charles has 7 years of experience working with smallholder maize farmers and evaluation of barriers for fertilizer use in western Kenya. He previously worked for the Kenyan Government as a Community Development Assistant, working with communities and welfare groups within western Kenya.
Chris Musungu
Chris Musungu
Field Manager
Kenya Team
Chris Musungu Namulundu is PxD’s Field Manager in Nairobi, Kenya. Previously, he worked for PxD as a field manager under Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). Chris has a Certificate in General Agriculture and Home Economics from Kilifi Agricultural College. He has over 10 years of experience in research and partnership development and has worked as a manager on various projects including the Fertilizer Markets for Local Information (MALIK) project in Kenya.
Claudia Carbajal Morelos
Claudia Carbajal Morelos
Director
Leadership Team
Claudia Carbajal Morelos is a Director at PxD. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Tecnologico de Monterrey and a Master in Public Administration in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School. She has over seven years of experience in research, program design, implementation, and evaluation. Claudia has worked in government, non-profit, and multilateral organizations in Mexico, India, and the United States.
Crystal Aghadi
Crystal Aghadi
Research Associate
Nigeria Team
Crystal Aghadi is PxD’s Research Associate in Nigeria. Crystal holds a Collaborative MSc in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Nairobi, Kenya in collaboration with the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Prior to joining PxD, Crystal worked at the Nigeria Strategy Support Program (NSSP) of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) as a Researcher, and at the Abia State Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development. She has worked on a variety of projects including the Feed the Future Nigerian Agricultural Policy Project (NAPP) co-sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Michigan State University (MSU).
Dat Huynh
Dat Huynh
Software Engineer
Technology Practice
Dat Huynh is a Software Engineer at PxD. He holds a B.A degree in Electronics and Telecommunication from the Ho Chi Minh University of Technologies (VietNam). Prior to joining PxD, he worked as a Software Engineer at DEK Technologies, and has experience in the Ericsson 4G IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and building high availability calling systems.
Dat Nguyen
Dat Nguyen
Software Engineer
Technology Practice
Dat Nguyen is a Software Engineer at PxD. He holds an MSc in Information Technology and a BS in Computer Engineering from University of Information Technology - Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. Prior to joining PxD, he worked as a Software Engineer at DEK Technologies and has experience in the Ericsson 4G IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (NSO). His interests include functional programming, software-defined networking and media access control.
Deepak Punia
Deepak Punia
Data Engineer
Technology Practice
Deepak Punia is a Data Engineer at PxD. He holds a B.Tech degree in Computer Science and Engineering from GGSIPU, New Delhi. He has a total of 8 years working experience and prior to joining PxD, he worked with different companies such as TCS, ION Trading and D.E Shaw. His primary skills lie in SQL, Linux, automation using Python and DevOps. He enjoys learning and applying new tech skills and has completed several courses available on e-learning platforms such as Udemy and DataCamp.
Dina Rodrigues
Dina Rodrigues
Research Associate
Global Team
Dina Rodrigues is a Research Associate at PxD. She holds a MSc. in Economics with a specialization in Development and Trade from the NOVA School of Business and Economics and a BSc. in Economics from Católica-Lisbon SBE, in Portugal. Dina has fieldwork experience in Portugal and Mozambique, having coordinated RCTs in the areas of migration, livelihoods, and labor markets for the Novafrica Research Centre and the International Growth Centre. She has also consulted for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator in Mozambique.
Emily Larkin
Emily Larkin
Research Associate, Climate
Global Team
Emily Larkin is PxD’s Research Associate, Climate. She holds a MA in International Economics and International Development from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a BA in International Studies from Emmanuel College. Prior to joining PxD, she worked with the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI) and IFPRI on the Gender, Climate Change, and Nutrition Integration Initiative. She is a Fulbright alumna and has previous experience working on digital education programs in Jordan, Kenya, and Somalia.
Emmanuel Bakirdjian
Emmanuel Bakirdjian
Africa Regional Director
Kenya Team, Leadership Team
Emmanuel Bakirdjian is PxD’s Africa Regional Director. Emmanuel holds a MPhil in Development Economics and a MSc in Economic Development and Project Analysis from CERDI (Centre for Studies and Research on International Development), Clermont-Ferrand, France. He has been a Senior Research Manager for the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) Africa office, based at the University of Cape Town, and also worked for Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) in Rwanda and Sierra Leone.
Eric Njue
Eric Njue
Research and Operations Manager
Kenya Team
Eric Njue is PxD’s Research and Operations Manager in Nairobi, Kenya. He holds an M.Sc. degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a Bachelor in Agribusiness Management from Egerton University. Eric has over 8 years of technical expertise in agricultural development, spanning across multi-disciplinary research and program management. Before joining PxD, Eric worked as a Consultant for the USAID project in Kenya, an associate consultant at WFP (World Food Program), a researcher at Tegemeo Research Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development, among other roles both at county and national government institutions. His professional interest includes farming capacity development, designing and implementing household and community surveys in diverse settings, econometric and statistical techniques, management of survey databases and scientific writing skills and, innovative approaches for integrating quantitative and qualitative research.
Fatima Fida
Fatima Fida
Research Assistant
Pakistan Team
Fatima Fida is a Research Assistant at the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan. Fatima has previously worked in Education Sector Development and was associated with Zindagi Trust where she contributed on projects focused at identifying gaps and improving quality of education in Pakistan. Fatima also runs educational and awareness campaigns in her hometown, Hunza, to increase awareness and motivation among children. She holds a Bachelors degree in Economics and Mathematics from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi and a Master's degree in Economics from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).
Gautam Bastian
Gautam Bastian
Research and Program Development Manager
Global Team
Gautam Bastian is PxD’s Research and Program Development Manager. He holds a Master of Public Administration specializing in Advanced Policy and Economic Analysis from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and a BA in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. He has designed and implemented impact evaluations in agriculture, mobile finance, education, and business training in India, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Nigeria. Before joining PxD, he was an Economist at the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab and a Research Associate at Harvard Business School.
Georges Poquillon
Georges Poquillon
Senior Research and Operations Manager
Kenya Team
Georges Poquillon is a Senior Research and Operations Manager at PxD in Nairobi, Kenya. He holds a Master of Economics from the Toulouse School of Economics (France) and a PhD in Economics from the University of Essex (UK). Prior to joining PxD, Georges worked at the World Bank as an Impact Evaluation Evaluation Field Supervisor on a youth employment project in Kenya (Kenya Youth Employment Opportunity Project).
Getu Shikur
Getu Shikur
Senior Manager-Partnerships and Communication
Ethiopia Team
Getu Shikur is PxD’s Senior Manager-Partnerships and Communication in Ethiopia. He holds a PhD in Sociolinguistics from Addis Ababa University. He has been an advisor to the Barr Foundation on work related to Ethiopia and East Africa, and has consulted various organizations including WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, CIFF, ICAP, and JHPIEGO. He has extensive experience in participatory research, socio-economic studies, development program formulation, monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessments.
Godfrey Meyer Petgrave
Godfrey Meyer Petgrave
Agronomist
Nigeria Team
Godfrey Meyer Petgrave, is PxD’s Agronomist in Nigeria. Godfrey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Crop Protection and MSc in Crop and Soil Science, Agricultural Entomology both from the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He previously worked with JOF Nigeria Limited, Lagos Nigeria and as their Agribusiness Project Manager. Godfrey also worked with Nigerian Starch Mills- Anambra and Ekiti States, Nigeria, and at Myrtles Farms and Foods Company Limited- Rivers State. He also worked with Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemical Limited as Field Agronomist for Rivers State and was responsible for providing detailed content on various crops best management practices, fertilizers and pesticides application to improve productivity and profitability for rural farmers in the Southern Region of Nigeria.
Habtamu Yesigat
Habtamu Yesigat
Director of Programs, Ethiopia
Leadership Team, Ethiopia Team
Habtamu Yesigat is PxD’s Director of Programs, Ethiopia. He holds a PhD from the Technical University Munich in Production and Resource Economics, a MSc degree in Agricultural Economics from Haramaya University, and a MSc in Rural Development from a consortium of European Universities. He is an Agricultural Development Economist with extensive research experience in sub-Saharan Africa and Germany. He has previously worked for the Gondar Agricultural Research Center of Ethiopia, FAO, ILRI, and the World Bank.
Hannah Timmis
Hannah Timmis
Senior Research Manager
India Team
Hannah Timmis is PxD’s Senior Research Manager for India. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University and a MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics. Hannah has six years of experience conducting rigorous research and managing programs in the international development sector. She has previously worked as a Research Associate at the Center for Global Development and the Institute for Development Studies, as a Project Manager at Adam Smith International and as an Analyst at Instiglio.
Hassan Ammar
Hassan Ammar
Project Manager
Pakistan Team
Hassan Ammar is a Project Manager at the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP). Hassan holds two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania: a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies. He has previously worked as an Education Coordinator at the United Nations Association of Greater Philadelphia (UNAGP), where he spearheaded the Education and Outreach Program. He has also served as an Education Coordinator at the Philadelphia Global Water Initiative (PGWI), raising awareness about global water and sanitation issues.