Claudia Ringler is Deputy Division Director of the Environment and Production Technology Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). She also manages IFPRI’s Natural Resource Theme and co-leads the Institute’s water research program. She works on enhancing resiliency of human and natural systems as a flagship co-lead under the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). Over the last two decades, Claudia’s research has focused on the implications of and trade-offs between growing natural resource scarcity and water, energy and food security in developing counties with a strong focus on gendered implications. She has more than 100 publications in these areas. Claudia holds an M.A. degree in International and Development Economics from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Germany.

Elizabeth Bryan is a Senior Research Analyst in the Environment and Production Technology Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) where she is conducts policy-relevant research on sustainable agricultural production, natural resource management, small-scale irrigation, climate change adaptation and gender. Her current work focuses on trade-offs and synergies across the intersection of climate-smart agricultural production, nutrition, gender, and the environment. Prior to joining IFPRI, Elizabeth worked as a consultant for the Poverty Reduction Group of the World Bank and the Latin American Program of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She has published numerous articles on climate change adaptation, gender and climate change and trade-offs in biomass energy uses in sub-Saharan Africa. Elizabeth holds an M.A. in International Development with a concentration in Development Economics from American University.

Sophie Theis is a research analyst and gender specialist in the Environment and Production Technology Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). In this role, she manages mixed methods research and evaluations related to gender and rural livelihoods in East Africa and South Asia and advises various donor and implementing organizations on gender in rural development programs and strategies. She is interested in qualitative-quantitative (“Q-squared”) methods and facilitating knowledge exchange between researchers and practitioners. Prior to joining IFPRI, Sophie worked with the World Bank and the U.S. Department of State on agricultural policy and land governance in Latin America. She holds an M.S. and B.S. from Stanford University’s environmental policy program.

Nicole Lefore is a Senior Project Manager (Research for Development) at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in South Africa. She works within the Strategic Program for Building Resilience on research related to water and land institutions, small-scale irrigation and gender, microfinance for smallholder irrigators, approaches to community engagement and improving extension for natural resource management. Nicole has over 20 years of experience in Africa managing projects related to agricultural development, water and land resources, policy and institutional reform, and capacity development. She is also the point of contact for capacity development for the Water, Land and Ecosystems Research Program. She holds a PhD in Government from the University of Virginia and an MSc in Development from the School for Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Biniam Iyob joined the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Food Security in 2013 to work as a water and irrigation advisor. He is also the activity manager for the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small-Scale Irrigation and the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia. Previously, he taught geography courses at the University of New Hampshire, helped assess irrigation and harvesting methods at a sugar cane farm in Mauritius and served as a research assistant regarding tourism and business for a consulting firm. Earlier, he worked as a soil and water conservationist with the Ministry of Agriculture, as an assistant hydrogeologist for a consulting firm and as a technical/manual laborer in irrigated farms run by the Eritrean army.

He holds a doctorate in geography focusing on the Nile Basin and a master’s degree in remote sensing of vegetation change from Oregon State University, an MBA from the University of Mauritius and a bachelor’s degree in soil and water conservation from the University of Asmara, Eritrea.