Work
Selected projects and publications that illustrate where and how I tend to add value — helping organizations build stronger approaches to impact, assess what they are doing more critically, and find the balance between ambition and pragmatism.
Designing
I work with organizations when they are building something new — a programme, an initiative, an investment strategy, a measurement approach.
Advised the $150 million Catalytic Capital Consortium before its formal launch, working with internal teams to ensure solid fundamentals and scaffolding. Supported this phase by co-designing the theory of change, assumptions, and metrics, and providing guidance on design, implementation, and evaluation priorities for granting, investment, and partnership strategies.
Read more →As an internal advisor to the Foundation, designed the Learning Framework for the $200 million Youth Livelihoods Program in a structured manner (drawing on earlier work on a thematic review) to align various components of design, implementation, and improvement — including theory of change, learning questions, indicators, portfolio mapping, and operational guidelines.
Co-led the developmental evaluation and IMM for a $25 million venture impact fund focused on technology solutions for responsible corporate supply chains. Over a six-year engagement, helped build the full IMM approach from the ground up: theory of change, impact due diligence, investee and portfolio metrics, reporting and learning loops, and investee capacity support.
Working Capital Fund — Impact →Advised on the design of a Canadian family office’s approach to IMM and ESG, including the way in which they would be able to integrate emerging global practices in IMM, customized to their diverse portfolio. Supported internal learning and knowledge products that led to the publication of two guides describing their approach, detailed framework, and early lessons.
Good & Well Resources →Evaluating
I evaluate programmes and initiatives where the findings need to matter — where they inform decisions about strategy, scale, continuation, or redesign.
Co-authored the summative evaluation of the $40 million Impact Investing Initiative, the programme widely credited with catalyzing the global impact investing field. This involved substantial engagement with Foundation teams and global market leaders, and provided substantive recommendations on field-building approaches and tactics.
Read more →Co-authored the formative mid-term evaluation of the Convergence Blended Finance initiative to assess early programme outcomes, efficiency, relevance, and sustainability. Provided recommendations on the initiative, and Canada’s role in supporting blended finance.
Read more →Led the developmental evaluation of the $10 million programme on youth employment through digital platforms in Africa and South Asia over a 3-year period. The findings directly informed the Foundation’s decision to approve the $100 million Digital Jobs Africa initiative. Co-authored knowledge products on impact sourcing, youth employment, and developmental evaluation.
Read more →Led and primary author of the thematic review of the $177 million Economic Opportunities for Youth portfolio spanning 29 projects across Africa, using a rigorous approach to reviewing project documents, staff and partner perspectives, and external research and publications.
Read more →Developing
I contribute to frameworks, knowledge, and practice resources designed to strengthen how the field understands and approaches impact.
Most IMM guidance is written from the investor’s perspective. Ventures at the Helm starts from the venture’s experience, introducing a novel practical framework that shares different phases, questions, and guidance for ventures; and how investors can align and support them.
immjourney.com →Developed the Primer and Playbook to introduce new frameworks, practical tools, and applied examples for foundations and family offices to integrate systems perspectives across strategy, investment processes, and IMM. Extended into a learning cohort, webinars, and case studies.
Primer and Playbook →Designed and built the Impact Measurement module for the Foundation’s Innoweave coaching stream — developing the full curriculum, testing with organizations, building a community of coaches, and training others to deliver it.
Innoweave →Designed and developed this programme with Professor Alex Nicholls, for leaders and practitioners to improve how impact measurement is designed, implemented, and used — not just a technical exercise, but as a strategic, management and leadership imperative.
Learn More →Influencing
I have contributed to building some of the most important field-level efforts in impact measurement and impact investing.
Nominated as the Canadian representative. The Working Group developed Measuring Impact, a set of measurement guidelines adopted internationally. Being part of this process — when the field was actively negotiating what impact measurement should look like at a global level — was formative.
Measuring Impact →Co-Chaired the Task Force, which developed the action plan that led to the national Common Approach to Impact Measurement initiative. This involved convening perspectives from across the sector and translating that into a concrete, technically sound, and politically viable plan of action.
Common Approach →With each of the Rockefeller Foundation, MasterCard Foundation, and McConnell Foundations, the relationship began with external work and evolved into an embedded internal advisory role.
Current roles & affiliations →Co-founded Purpose Capital (now Rally Assets), which became Canada’s leading impact investment advisory firm. Established and led the Impact Advisory Practice. Exited in 2017.
Rally Assets →Other Work
Additional advisory engagements, government work, and publications — organized by category for easier browsing.
Senior technical advisor on impact strategy audit of NESTA’s Impact Investing portfolio.
Designed and delivered a 10-module learning series on impact measurement and data equity.
Technical advisor on research and engagement with impact investors and practitioners.
Advisor for DOT’s youth-led movement of social innovators across Africa.
Advisor on an action research project on scaling an agri-business social franchise model in Kenya.
Multiple engagements focused on research and policy around impact investing and impact measurement.
Research and options to evaluate the potential of social finance approaches in settlement and integration.
Formative evaluation of Convergence Blended Finance (see above).
Worked with the $100 million Thrive Lab in its early phase on its theory of change and IMM approach.
Provided advisory support and global perspectives for IMM, knowledge, and learning approaches.
Member of the Technical Assessment Group advising on wholesaler selection for this $755 million facility.