An epidemiologist by training, Shalini Suresh has been leading programs and research studies with non-profits, academic institutions, and international organizations over the past 10+ years. Shalini has dedicated her career to applying data and evidence-based solutions to drive advancements in global health, specifically focusing on child nutrition and development, women’s health and empowerment, economic equity, education, and sustainability.
In her current role as Associate Director of Insights & External Research at Understood, Shalini designs and leads quantitative research to generate insights and learnings around impact, population needs, and opportunity areas to inform the organization's strategy and build knowledge around learning and thinking differences. Previously, she built and led the Research & Data team at Nest, where she set up a foundational knowledge base on the informal labor sector through mixed-methods program monitoring and sector research. Shalini has a Master’s in Public Health from Columbia University and is pursuing a Doctorate of Public Health at NYU. Simultaneously, Shalini consults with international organizations and non-profits applying her expertise in monitoring & evaluation and social impact in an advisory role to inform program design and evaluation.