As head of strategy, Annette Brown leads the development of FHI 360’s organizational strategy; supports teams to align programs, research and advocacy to achieving our strategic ambition; and measures and monitors progress against the strategy. She directs the Strategy and Innovation Office, which also designs and supports innovation processes and nurtures the organization’s innovation culture. As principal economist, Brown directs the Evidence Unit, which houses organizational measurement and learning platforms and promotes evidence generation and use across sectors and regions. She also serves as editor-in-chief for the R&E Search for Evidence blog.

Prior to joining FHI 360, Brown headed the Washington, D.C., office of the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) and served on its executive team. For 3ie, she established and grew the organization’s D.C. office, oversaw a variety of research and grant-making programs, successfully raised millions in funds, and led engagement with 3ie’s member ministries, foundations and organizations. Earlier in her career, she worked at both for-profit and not-for-profit development implementers in senior management roles that involved research, strategy, program management, business development, technical assistance, and measurement and evaluation. She has advised government ministries and agencies in all regions of the world and has performed technical assistance, capacity strengthening, program development, and research in more than 30 countries.

Brown was an assistant professor of economics at Western Michigan University and held research positions at the World Bank and the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics. She is the author or co-author of numerous research articles published in social science and public health journals, and she edited the book titled When Is Transition Over? Brown attended the University of Michigan as a National Science Foundation fellow, earning a master’s degree in Russian and East European studies and a doctorate degree in economics.