Lydia Blandford

Current position and employer: Senior Associate, New Program Development at Evidence Action

Hometown: I grew up overseas moving every 4 years (Bangkok, Copenhagen, New Delhi).

Current City: Washington, DC

Why did you choose McCourt? I chose McCourt for two reasons — first, I knew I wanted to be in DC! Given my policy interests, this area had the right people, the right opportunities, and the right resources for me to thrive. Second, I knew I wanted to be in a program that could beef up my quant skills! The jobs I want need me to be familiar with data science and statistics and now I’m confident in both.

What professional/ work experience did you have prior to coming to McCourt? Before McCourt, I worked for a regional community development corporation in Pittsburgh doing market research and policy analysis. After moving to DC, I spent sometime working in the international women’s empowerment sector, organizing the Global Summit of Women.

What was the best part of your experience? Meeting an amazing, dynamic people from around the world!

What internships did you have during your time at McCourt? Project Coordination Intern, Brookings; Knowledge Management Intern, Center for International Private Enterprise; Innovation Practice Intern, Results for Development

Undergraduate University, degree, and major: University of Pittsburgh, BA in Economics

Hobbies/ Interests: I’m passionate about gender justice, sustainable development, and systems innovation. Outside of McCourt, I love science fiction, karaoke, and using public transit to explore DC.