Can you tell us a little about your experience in IEDP and what you did after?

Before joining IEDP, I earned a master’s at the University of Edinburgh  in a program focused on Africa and international development. My research there emphasized neoliberalism and education in sub-Saharan Africa. After graduating, I joined the Peace Corps, working as a teacher trainer and high school English teacher in northern Malawi. While in Malawi, I started looking at master’s programs, particularly those offering scholarships related to the Peace Corps. IEDP and Penn caught my eye due to the Coverdell Fellowship and the internship component. So, exactly ten years ago, in 2014, I joined the program. I really enjoyed the opportunity to engage with the broader Philadelphia community through the Netter Center and Coverdell Fellowship, the really diverse cohort, and the ability to take courses both in GSE and the wider university, like the Political Science Department, which gave me a broader understanding of education, human rights, and politics. After IEDP, I pursued a PhD at Wisconsin-Madison, where I’ve been for the last eight years, pursuing a joint degree in education policy and anthropology, along with an African Studies certificate.

What sparked your interest in international development and education?

My interest began in undergrad where I earned a teaching credential in history and political science. I wanted to teach internationally, and took a teaching position at an international school in Burundi. I really enjoyed that, and decided I wanted to explore more in international education and teaching, which led me to Thailand, Japan, Scotland, and eventually Malawi through the Peace Corps. Through these travels and experiences, I became fascinated with how corporate actors shape education. At Edinburgh, my master’s thesis was on the decentralization of education in Sierra Leone. While conducting fieldwork there, I was really surprised by how decentralization allowed corporations to basically fill the gaps left by government underfunding and withdrawal, and how corporations were marketing their involvement to the community, the state, and investors. This interest was expanded as a Peace Corps volunteer, where I taught in a community near a large timber company that helped build schools under their corporate social responsibility framework. I became fascinated with how communities viewed, and often resisted, this corporate engagement in education, which led to my current focus. My research now looks at the role of corporate actors in education, and how schooling and educational policy are influenced by new forms of financing, like social impact investing and results-based financing, that operate under a “new” or “conscious” capitalism. 

How has the relationship between corporations, governments, and communities changed?

One significant change is the rise of results-based financing or RBF, where investors expect returns on development projects, including education. My qualitative research has looked at how this impacts schools, especially in places like Sierra Leone and Liberia. I focus less on learning outcomes, which is what most research around RBF examines, looking instead at how results-based financing is actually changing school governance and the broader school environment, including teacher labor, curriculum, and parent involvement. 

What were some of your biggest insights or surprises during your PhD research?

A major surprising (and disturbing) finding was how many teachers in Liberia weren’t being paid, either because the government lacked funds or because corporate actors simply were not providing the stipends they’d promised. This was especially troubling because the organizations running these programs were very well-funded and offered strong benefits and pay to expatriate staff. Another key insight was how data is collected and used. Each program I looked at promoted evidence-based policy to guide the scaling of the program and the rewarding of organizations. However, the data was often haphazardly collected and was frequently either ignored or manipulated to serve specific political purposes. Based on these experiences, I take a somewhat critical view of these policies—there’s often a significant gap between what they say and what they actually do, and we need to have honest discussions about what’s really happening beyond the official narratives.

Why did you decide to return to IEDP as a faculty member?

I enjoyed the program as a student and maintained great relationships with faculty like Dr. Thapa, Dr. GK, and Dr. Wagner. The program offers a mix of critical discussions and practical experience, which is rare. I’m excited to contribute to that as a faculty member now.

What are your expectations for your students and the program?

I hope students are open to sharing their experiences and reflecting on what development means to them. Honest conversations about different perspectives are essential to learning.

Can you tell us more about the course you’re teaching this semester and how students benefit from it, even if they may not pursue a research path like yours?

I’m teaching a qualitative methods course that also explores questions about knowledge production and ethics in research. We’ll look at decolonial and Indigenous epistemologies, thinking about whose knowledge counts and why. The course will blend theory with practical elements like interview techniques and crafting research questions. Even if students don’t use qualitative methods, understanding diverse perspectives in development is crucial. Western organizations have long dominated the field, but communities are pushing back with alternative strategies, understandings, and ideas about development, schooling, and the good life, and it’s important to understand and engage with those perspectives.

Any advice for students just starting in IEDP?

Build relationships with faculty, staff, and classmates. Networking is key, and you’ll learn a lot from those around you. Push yourself in the courses and be open to challenging your thinking. 

Interview by Sveta, edited by Ana-Carina