Barbara Willett is Managing Director, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL). In this role she works to support organizational strategy through effective monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning practices. She works across country programs to oversee the design and implementation of mixed methods MERL plans, data collection, analyses, data use for adaptive management and quality improvement, and dissemination of results to donors, partners, and the global community health sector.
Barbara joins Last Mile Health with more than 15 years of experience leading global MEL teams, designing M&E systems, building capacity, creating standards and policies, and adapting and adopting new and emerging tools and technologies for MERL. She previously served as MERL/MEL Director for Mercy Corps and American Red Cross (International Services), and has worked for a range of other nonprofits, domestic and international. For the past four years she has been a consultant, conducting research and evaluation and helping organizations build MERL structures, policies, and resources. Clients included Bixal (formerly Clear Outcomes), Mercy Corps, Digital Impact Alliance, American Red Cross, the Government of Canada, and World Learning. She has an MA in Development Studies from Ohio University, attended Claremont Graduate University’s Advanced Study in Program Evaluation certificate program, and completed doctoral coursework in qualitative and quantitative research at the University of Central Florida.