Deirdre Appel
Communication & Advocacy Manager

Deirdre manages communications activities at ODW. This work focuses on promoting public awareness of and access to data and reports on key sustainable development themes, increasing the visibility of ODW initiatives and research, and strengthening communications cooperation with ODW partners through blogs, social media, and events. Deirdre holds a Master of Global Policy Studies with a specialization in International Development from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

Shaida Badiee
Managing Director

Shaida oversees the work of ODW from planning and strategizing to fund-raising and delivery of products. An active speaker and champion on many development data topics, she is a Senior Advisor to Data2X focused on gender data, co-chairs the SDSN TReNDS group, is part of the Technical Advisory Group for GPSDD, is a member of the PARIS21 board, and a number of other boards. Before co-founding ODW in 2013, she worked at the World Bank for 36 years and was the Director of the Development Data Group for many years. She holds an MS degree in Engineering, specialized in information management.

Mayra Buvinic
Senior Advisor, ODW-Data2X

Mayra, an internationally recognized expert on gender and development and social development, is a Senior Advisor with ODW-Data2X and a Senior Fellow Emeritus at the Center for Global Development. She is the leading advisor on implementing the Time for Growth Collaborative to better link time-use data to policies. Previously, she was Director for Gender and Development at World Bank, headed Social Development at IDB, and was President of the International Center for Research on Women. She has a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Izabela Chmielewska
Interim Communication & Advocacy Manager

Izabela is the Interim Communication & Advocacy Manager at ODW. In this role, she will sustain ODW’s public visibility, promote new publications and events, and collaborate with key partners on strategic endeavors. Izabela has previously served as Program Manager at Global Integrity and the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). She also worked at institutions such as the World Bank and the Hilton Foundation. She holds a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

June Demafeliz
Budget Officer

June takes care of budget management work and interactions with the accountant and the group managing ODW’s payroll. Her background includes work at a CPA firm and a decade in the European Department of the IMF, handling economic data analysis and management, budget projections, and production of reports for country lending assessments, as well as related web design. She has a master’s degree in business administration.

Jaysen Ensor
Research Analyst

Jay works on a variety of projects and programs at ODW such as the Open Data Inventory and development data financing. His research interests include gender-focused development, environmental sustainability, disability access in development, and the Pacific Islands. He holds his Master’s degree in International Development from the School of International Service at American University.

Reza Farivari
Director of Administration

Reza manages ODW’s administration activities including facilities and contracts. He headed Information Services and Systems at World Bank’s Development Data Group for 10 years. There he oversaw development of the largest set of systems products for Open Data and related communications. He has developed systems for managing and disseminating statistical information for over 35 years. Before World Bank, he operated the Computer Center at the School of Engineering at George Washington University.

Raquel Santos Fontes
Research, Policy, and Advocacy Analyst

Raquel works on policy, research, and advocacy projects at ODW, including the Commit to Data initiative and the Intersectionality in Development Data workstream. Her work is grounded in mixed-methods research, policy analysis, data visualization, and strategic communications. At ODW, she also supports stakeholder engagement efforts and advocacy campaigns. Raquel holds a Master of Global Policy Studies with a specialization in International Development and Gender from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

Martin Getzendanner
Media & Technology Advisor

Martin coordinates technology at ODW. He has worked in several international agencies, as a business information solutions manager at World Bank, climate change information manager at UNEP, chief of information for the Western Pacific Region of WHO, and chief of information resource management at UNICEF Europe. Prior to that, he was NBC News correspondent in Geneva and wrote editorials on Asia for LA Times and CS Monitor. He has degrees in Asian Studies from Harvard, Political Science from Stanford, and International Development from IHEID.

Elizabeth Hedge
ODW-Data2x Transition Manager

Elizabeth has a cross-sectoral background in applied research, programming, and policy in the public and private sectors, specializing in qualitative, participatory research methods and gender-based violence prevention and response. Elizabeth received an MA in International Affairs with concentrations in Global Gender Policy & Conflict from the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University, and a BA in History and Political Science from Loyola Marymount University.

Jamison Henninger
Open Data Manager

Jamison is responsible for managing a number of ODW’s research projects, including the Open Data Inventory (ODIN), as well as facilitating workshops for government agencies on topics such as open data and data accessibility. Prior to ODW, he worked on the Open Budget Initiative at the International Budget Partnership. He holds a Masters of Global Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Lorenz Noe
Research Manager

Lorenz is responsible for research on a wide range of analytical projects at ODW. He specializes in food security, extreme poverty, the global middle class, and development financing. Prior to working at ODW, he served as a Senior Research Analyst at the Brookings Institution for four years where he managed the Ending Rural Hunger project. Lorenz holds a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University.

Meriem Ait Ouyahia
Gender Data Network Coordinator

Meriem coordinates the gender data network at Open Data Watch. She has worked in the field of statistical development for many years, first with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and most recently with PARIS21. Her experience also includes a number of years working with the Government of Canada in the field of sustainable development. Meriem holds a master’s degree in econometrics from the University of Montréal.

Francesca Perucci
Director of Policy and Partnerships

Francesca directs the policy and partnerships work of ODW. An expert in the field of development data and global data initiatives, she leads ODW’s work to scale up data and statistical capacity, technical services, and strategic partnerships. She brings many decades of experience at the United Nations, most recently as Assistant Director of the UN Statistics Division. A true trailblazer in the use of data and statistics to inform policy, monitor progress, and influence decision-making, she led the development of the Sustainable Development Goals indicators that now are the basis of SDG data work around the world.

Amelia Pittman
Data Insights and Design Manager

Amelia manages work that transforms complex data into actionable insights. She leads the development of visual publications, online platforms, and other resources. Prior to working at ODW, she conducted research for USAID, Innovations for Peace and Development, and AngelouEconomics. She holds a Master of Global Policy Studies with a specialization in International Development from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

Giorgi Sharvadze
Website Architect

Giorgi Sharvadze is a software architect and senior full-stack engineer with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering digital platforms for international organizations, governments, and the private sector. His expertise spans software architecture, data systems, AI-enabled applications, and cloud technologies. He has led the development of data and knowledge platforms for organizations including PARIS21, the United Nations, and the World Bank, with a focus on scalable, user-centered, and data-driven solutions.

Eric Swanson
Director of Research

Eric is a co-founder of Open Data Watch. He supervises the research and analytical work of ODW. He was previously program manager and senior adviser in the World Bank’s Development Data Group with responsibilities including the World Development Indicators. He holds a PhD in economics. He has previously worked on topics of measuring educational achievement, economic modeling and forecasting, and jury selection.

Tawheeda Wahabzada
Senior Data and Policy Specialist

Tawheeda is the research manager for the Bridging the Gap regional projects, where she developed a foundational knowledge and expertise on gender data gaps, methodologies of SDG indicators, and ways to incorporate official statistics into existing national gender strategies and policies. She is also the lead reviewer of assessments for the Open Data Inventory, and she provides support on country engagement and on other gender data-related projects. Tawheeda holds a Master of Global Policy Studies from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin.