We are a multidisciplinary team committed to
making a difference in people’s lives

Maria Pomes-Jimenez

We are researchers, analysts, and evaluators who harness the strength of evidence to generate knowledge so everyone can reach their full potential

We have spent over a decade collaborating with dozens of NGOs, international organizations, and philanthropic institutions around the world.

Founded in the UK with team members in Europe and Central America, we are known for bringing curiosity and an ability to tell a powerful story to our work.

Our team collaborates deeply with clients every step of the way.

“

I highly value the collaboration in all of our projects with Public Policy Studio. María and her team have shown great professionalism and rigor. I also value their style of collaboration and professionalism.

“

-Cristina Junquera Abaitua – UNICEF Spain

MEET OUR COLLABORATORS

We bring unique backgrounds
and global reach with a personal touch

Maria Pomes-Jimenez

FounDer AND DIRECTOR

Maria brings two decades of experience in policy and program evaluation, human development, and strategic advisory roles. Professionally, she is driven by the potential to make a difference in people's lives, particularly those of the most vulnerable.

  • I am reminded everyday of the honor and responsibility of the work that we do, and our potential to have a real impact on peoples’ lives. Prior to founding PPOL, I was a lobbyist in London and Brussels and a radio journalist in Spain. Since 2011, I have also consulted for the World Bank.

    A career highlight was to spend a couple of years at Georgetown University for my Masters in Public Policy. I also have a Degree in Communications from the University of Navarra, and I do not underestimate the value of the combination of both. Lately, I have been focussing on revamping my data visualization skills and I would like to continue exploring that field.

    When out of the office, you can find me restoring a centenary home in rural Spain, and enjoying time with my husband and five young children.

Maria Camila Villarraga

Qualitative Methods LEAD

Maria Camila is our qualitative lead, a research and evaluation specialist with 10+ years of experience, combining rigorous analytical expertise with a background in industrial engineering and financial planning.

Cristina Repede

Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant

Cristina Repede is a consultant specializing in evaluation and public policy, with over a decade of experience in policy making, policy implementation, and evaluation. She has worked within the European Commission, contributing to the development and assessment of public programs across rural development and EU pre-accession assistance.

  • Her portfolio includes evaluations and technical assistance in sectors such as education, early childhood development, health and nutrition, agriculture, and entrepreneurship development. She has delivered assignments for UNICEF, the World Food Program, Education Cannot Wait, the Mastercard Foundation, and various national authorities and civil society organizations, across Europe, Africa, the Western Balkans, and the Caribbean.

    Cristina has contributed to evaluation tools and guidance, including M&E guidelines for the European Commission and evaluation research under Horizon 2020. Her cross-cultural perspective is shaped by her background in post-communist Romania and her current base in Brussels and rural Germany.

Nicolas Ayensa

Economist, Social researcher

Nicolas brings 6 years of experience in analysis and evaluation of policies, programs and projects. They are driven by the desire to learn and help.

  • I studied Economics and Education in Zaragoza (Spain - where I was born and where I still live) and in Paris. I have been a High School and University teacher.

    From teaching, I pivoted to the evaluation of cooperation projects in the field of education. Little by little, driven by my passion for learning, I immersed myself in topics as varied as vocational training, livelihood promotion, care, child labor, health, the 2030 Agenda and the green new deal, big data analysis, … and so on!

Lea Corsetti

Young Evaluator, Social Researcher

Lea brings 3 years of research and development evaluation experience. They are driven by a desire to learn about how development can best be organized for long term sustainable impact and carry a lasting positive impact on people’s lives.

  • Lea studied International Development at Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands, and joined the evaluation world around this time. She has a background in social science and anthropology. Lea has a passion for participatory methodologies and bottom up approaches. She is currently based close to London and is bilingual in English and Italian, has conversational Dutch and Portuguese, and enough knowledge of French to get by.

    Lea loves the diverse range of individuals she has met during her work and learning more about new research techniques and innovation in the field. She has worked on a diverse range of projects on topics such as agriculture, livelihoods, public health, poverty reduction, child protection and higher education. Lea is an active member of the European Evaluation Society (EES) as their communications and administration manager, and was one of the winners of the 2022 yEES! competition, which sponsored her attendance to the 2022 EES conference in Copenhagen. Lea is also on the organizing team for the p2p+ Europe Hub initiative for young evaluators, and is a member of EvalYouth. She is currently working on improving her research and evaluation skills to gain confidence in moving beyond research analyst roles.

    When not working, Lea is an amateur photographer, avid reader, occasional jetsetter, and casual gamer. She is a collector of houseplants, most of which are alive (for the moment), and would fill every corner of her house with books and art if her partner let her.

Melissa Paredes Saltos

Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant

Melissa brings over 10 years of experience in the area of international development, six of which she has focused on mixed-methods evaluations of social protections projects.

  • Melissa started her journey on international development interning for the Organization of American States and then as an assistant for operations services at The World Bank in Washington D.C. She holds an M.A. in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University-SAIS (2014), where she discovered her interest in monitoring and evaluation. After graduating, she started working for IMPAQ International (now part of AIR) on performance and impact evaluations of child labor and labor rights projects financed by the U.S. Department of Labor. She also has consulting experience for the IADB in Ecuador, conducting evaluations of social housing projects.

    She loves that this work lets her unite her interests in research and continuous learning with a desire to be of service to others.

    Melissa is originally from Ecuador, and is currently living in Costa Rica. She is a member of the Board of Esperanza Urbana, a local non-profit serving the homeless population in San Jose. She is a native Spanish-speaker and fluent in English.

    When not working, you can find her reading anything related to parenting and social justice, trying to play the guitar, curating yet another Spotify playlist, or playing any of the NYT puzzles (the free version only, otherwise she would never stop).

    Melissa is (finally) one course away from completing her Professional Certificate in Data Science (something she thought she could do in a year when she originally signed up in February 2020).

Danielle Freed

MEL Consultant/Education Professional

Danielle brings with her over a decade of working across the International Development sector. Entering the field as an Educationalist, she is a passionate advocate for the use of evidence and learning as a means to dismantle the barriers to quality education and access for all.

  • Bringing an acute understanding of the instrumental role MEL plays in guiding programme delivery and adaptation, she has worked as an educator in the classroom, designed and managed non-formal education programs for refugee students in Greece and worked alongside researchers as a rural teacher trainer in Guatemala. As an MEL consultant Danielle has honed her skills in knowledge and learning processes, working across the International Development Sector more generally to support a diverse range of clients to refine processes and achieve impact. Her technical expertise lies in supporting the design and implementation of theory-based, formative and utility focused evaluations. Recent work includes supporting organisations including UNAIDS, The Global Fund, MOPAN, BEIS, DEFRA and FCDO in both the generation and utilisation of evidence to inform sustainable solutions. When not working you can most likely find Danielle outside searching for new hiking trails or in the kitchen making a mess as she attempts to find the world’s best cheesecake recipe.

Ignacio Torrano

Principal consultant

Ignacio brings 10 years of experience in leading evaluations, research and MEL projects in the education sector. He is a passionate of the use of evidence for education programming and policy-making.

  • Ignacio is a specialist in Education Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning with 8+ years of experience in various thematic areas in the field of education, including Education in Emergencies, Education Systems, Early Childhood Development, Accelerated Education, Learning through Play and Girls' Education. He has worked with a diverse range of clients, including foundations, bilateral agencies, INGOs and multilateral organisations. Ignacio often plays leading technical roles in education projects, with expertise in applying various methodologies and designing and utilising MEL tools and methods. He has presented his work at global education conferences such as UKFIET and BAICE. His geographic experience spans countries such as Mali, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Kenya, Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Mexico.

Yolanda Gomez

QUANTITATIVE METHODS LEAD

Yolanda is our data specialist with over a decade of experience in statistical modeling, data engineering, and applied research. With a background spanning education, health, public policy, industry, and entrepreneurship, they bring a rare ability to adapt rigorous analytical methods to complex, high‑stakes environments

Our diverse backgrounds bring a unique approach and inclusive perspective to our services, including data analytics and strategic communications

We are proud to collaborate with the world’s best consultants seeking to make a difference

If you are interested in partnering with us on future work, please get in touch and schedule a virtual coffee with our founder, Maria.

Email Maria

Our team is passionate about life outside the office

We spend our time raising our families, renovating 200+ year-old homes and giving back to our communities. 

OUT OF OFFICE