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Mulugeta Debalke

@mulugetadebalke

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Experienced sociocultural anthropologist specializing in qualitative research and program coordination.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I seek program or research roles where I can lead qualitative and mixed-methods research, influence policy, mentor teams, and combine analytics with community-centered approaches to improve program effectiveness.

I am a sociocultural anthropologist with more than 15 years coordinating qualitative and mixed-methods research for private research firms, financial institutions, and grant-makers. I drive research teams to deliver actionable insights that improve aid effectiveness and program implementation.

My work has included designing instruments, managing large-scale qualitative and quantitative data collection, and leading analysis that produced research reports, policy briefs, and published articles. I have coordinated national surveys and hundreds of in-depth interviews to fill critical evidence gaps.

I have successfully built partnerships with government, private sector, and community stakeholders across Ethiopia and regionally, contributing to policy revision, program improvement, and the formation of a permanent accountability platform. I routinely supervise teams, manage IRB processes, and ensure community voices inform program decisions.

Since relocating to the U.S. I have pursued professional development in automated data analytics and AI & Machine Learning policy alignment to complement my qualitative expertise and support evidence-driven program design and evaluation.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

National Research Coordinator

Water Witness International

Sep 2020 - Aug 2024 (3 years 11 months)

Coordinated national research program in Ethiopia, leading 100+ in-depth interviews and a 1,300+ household survey supplement that informed 7 reports and 3 policy briefs, convincing 30+ authorities to pursue policy revisions. Managed multi-country partner engagement and monitoring across Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and the UK to establish a permanent Accountability Platform.

Qualitative Research Survey Design Stakeholder Engagement Report Writing Policy Analysis Program Coordination Monitoring & Evaluation

Research Fellow

Pankhurst Development and Research Consultancy

Mar 2017 - Sep 2020 (3 years 6 months)

Coordinated qualitative research and 130+ literature reviews on unemployment and inequality, co-analyzing data and producing 10 published articles and 7 policy analyses that informed policy revisions and stakeholder consensus. Organized 30+ workshops to engage government, finance and grant-making officials.

Qualitative Methods literature review Data Analysis Workshop Facilitation Policy Analysis Report Writing Community Based Research Stakeholder Engagement

Disaster Risk Reduction Head

Ethiopian Red Cross Society

Dec 2014 - Feb 2017 (2 years 2 months)

Led data collection and M&E for 15+ large community resilience projects, supervised 20+ staff, and improved program performance from 80% to 98% while reducing average emergency response time by ~40%.

Project Management Monitoring & Evaluation Staff Supervision Resilience Data Analysis

Social Advisor

World Bank

Feb 2014 - Nov 2014 (9 months)

Designed mixed-method instruments and collected qualitative data across 24+ government offices in 5 regions, identifying bottlenecks that informed capacity-building and redesign of the Promoting Basic Services Project.

Mixed Methods Research Qualitative Data Stakeholder Engagement Project evaluation Reporting Capacity Building

Researcher Consultant

Tetra Tech ARD

Sep 2013 - Dec 2013 (3 months)

Designed and executed qualitative fieldwork with 300+ community members and officials, producing evidence that supported restoration of land rights for 1,500+ vulnerable households.

Field Research Key Informant Interviews Rights Restoration Data Collection Reporting