Joanna provides strategic oversight of IWDA’s research, policy, advocacy and feminist strengthening work. She also leads IWDA’s flagship program, Equality Insights, designed to change the way poverty is understood and measured. Joanna is a Jewish American woman whose conception of justice and oppression was shaped early in her life by the lived-experience of her grandparents’ generation of the Holocaust. Throughout her career she has prioritised working in organisations that re-centre knowledge and agency of marginalised or excluded communities, including with Indigenous Peoples in the USA. Prior to joining IWDA, Joanna worked in social justice and international development for nearly 20 years with expertise in: government engagement; humanitarian policy, advocacy and coordination; sexual and reproductive health and rights; gender equality; sustainable development, and coalition and movement building—particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. She is a founding member and one of the convenors of the Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition.

Joanne has been involved with Equality Insights and its predecessor, the Individual Deprivation Measure (IDM), since its inception in 2008. Joanne has worked across civil society, academia, as a consultant, and with the Australian Government including senior roles with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Office for the Status of Women, and AusAID. She has combined research, policy, collaboration and activism to contribute to disarmament and peace, reconciliation, international policy, international development and gender equality, with a sustained focus on improving measurement of poverty and inequality to make its gendered dimensions visible.

Amelia is responsible for overall program management including, stakeholder engagement and coordination of project activities and budgets. Prior to joining IWDA, Amelia worked in the international development sector on gender programming across Latin America, Africa and the Pacific, with a focus on gender equality, safeguarding, gender-based violence prevention, gender-sensitive WASH and positive relationships for youth. Most recently, from 2016 to 2020, Amelia worked in Vanuatu managing NGO gender programs. In her spare time, Amelia enjoys trying to make plants grow in her garden and swimming in the ocean.

Megan is responsible for managing the Equality Insights data portal, and other technical aspects of Equality Insights, as well as contributing to survey administration, analysis and reporting.  Prior to joining IWDA, Megan worked in public health and social research, with experience in a range of topics related to how families and individuals interact with government services and systems. Megan has a graduate diploma in Data Science from the University of New South Wales. Outside of work, Megan enjoys reading, playing board games and hanging out with her cat.

Melissa contributes to the design, implementation, and analysis of Equality Insights, focusing on how the study can be ethically informed and methodologically rigorous. She has a PhD in Social Policy from Columbia University’s School of Social Work with a social science concentration in economics. Her research combines econometrics and psychometrics to examine gender inequality in low- and middle-income countries, particularly within humanitarian emergencies. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys playing soccer, trail running, rock climbing, and free diving.

Gayatri is the Data and Partnerships Manager for IWDA’s Equality Insights program. Prior to joining IWDA, Gayatri worked in international development, government and the community services sector in various program evaluation, research and policy roles. Gayatri has a PhD in Public Policy from George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, with a focus on international development. In her spare time, Gayatri likes to cook, read and spend time in nature with her husband and dogs.

Yolanda contributes at IWDA to the implementation and methodological updates of survey tools, as well as quantitative analysis of the Equal Insights data. Yolanda has extensive experience in government and research settings in data methods and analysis. Prior to joining IWDA, she worked at the university research centre, Monash Gender, Peace and Security Centre designing quantitative tools to explore peace building and women’s political participation, misogyny and violent extremism, and sexual and gender-based violence in conflict contexts. In addition, she has previously worked for the Colombian Government as an Advisor on poverty reduction and the prevention of teenage pregnancy. In her spare time, Yolanda enjoys hiking and connecting with nature.

Lucy is responsible for program administration and reporting including budget tracking, monitoring, evaluation and learning. She supports the Equality Insights team with contracting, legal review and stakeholder engagement. She has a degree in Development Studies and over 20 years’ experience in the development sector. Previous roles include working with the fundraising team at IWDA, the Australian Government, CARE Australia in Cambodia and the World Health Organization in Geneva.

Eva leads Equality Insights’ communications strategy, including social media, newsletters, website, branding and other external relations. Prior to joining IWDA, Eva has worked in development and diplomacy for organisations such as the Australian Council for International Development and the Embassy of Panama in Australia. She has spent many years volunteering for a range of different feminist and grassroots organisations. She has a degree in Development Studies and a degree in Languages, both from the Australian National University. Outside of work, Eva enjoys spending time in the sunshine, doing anything arty, and spending time with her friends, family, dog and cat.