Rakesh Sharma, IFES Director, Monitoring, Evaluation and Survey Research

Rakesh Sharma

Director, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Survey Research
Center for Applied Research & Learning
General Inquiries
media@ifes.org
+1 (202) 350-6700

Rakesh Sharma is the Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Survey Research (MEASURE) at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). He oversees IFES efforts to effectively utilize program and research data to evaluate and inform its programming around the world.

Sharma directs IFES efforts to monitor and evaluate its programming for project management and learning. In this capacity, he manages a diverse portfolio of monitoring and evaluation initiatives focused on determining the effectiveness of IFES programming and developing lessons learned to strengthen future programs of support in democracy and governance. Sharma has managed the development of several publications focused on emerging issues in the field of elections and has also worked with IFES electoral experts to develop methodologies to systematically evaluate electoral processes. He also has over 15 years of experience overseeing the cost-efficient implementation and management of surveys, focus groups, and other research projects to support IFES programming.

Sharma has worked extensively on IFES public opinion projects around the world, conducting research in more than 30 countries during this time with significant experience working in developing democracies, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Ukraine. Sharma has a B.A. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario and an M.A. in Comparative Politics from American University.