Recognition: J-Stars

Nadia Karina is recognized for her creativity and leadership in building the Impact Lab, a program that reimagines how we develop partnerships and support organizations that may not yet have an RCT pathway. By creating this space for exploratory engagement, Nadia has expanded J-PAL SEA’s reach, strengthened relationships with governments and NGOs, and opened new skill-building opportunities for staff across the office.

Bridget Mercier is recognized for developing and launching the new Learning Labs model, thoughtfully shaping an early concept into a structured and practical approach to supporting government partners. Bridget demonstrated strong collaborative problem-solving throughout this work, coordinating effectively across teams, frequently soliciting input, and leveraging the strengths of each team member. Her forward-looking project management and steady, empathetic guidance were essential to the success of the Climate Action Learning Lab.

Anas Mamdouh is recognized for exceptional efforts to build community, strengthen connections, and create an inclusive environment across J-PAL MENA. Whether through initiatives like the weekly Tuesday Lunch and regular fitness and wellness activities, or through small but thoughtful gestures toward colleagues, Anas have helped staff in the MENA office connect across verticals. In doing so, he created opportunities for both new and long-standing team members to develop meaningful personal and professional relationships more easily within the office. Thanks to your steady commitment to bringing people together, the MENA workplace feels more connected and supportive.

Roselle Ortiz is recognized for exceptional efforts to build an inclusive, welcoming, and connected community at J-PAL Europe. Through her thoughtful leadership of office social activities, her support for new staff, and her approach in creating meaningful opportunities for colleagues to connect, she have helped cultivate a more cohesive and supportive office environment. Roselle's steady commitment to strengthening our workplace culture is the reason she were nominated for this recognition.

Priya Nair is recognized for exceptional contributions across the Education & Training and Policy teams, including her leadership in managing major training programs and supporting the launch of J-PAL Africa’s partnership with the Government of Benin. She led the complex logistical arrangements for this high-profile event, coordinating across J-PAL Africa, government counterparts, UCT, and local institutions, while continuing to deliver high-quality work on your other responsibilities. Her consistent ownership, reliability, and thoughtful behind-the-scenes coordination have had a meaningful impact on these initiatives.

Lucy Nguyen is recognized for exceptional work on the Every Child Counts Implementation Toolkit, a foundational resource for J-PAL South Asia’s largest upcoming scale-up. Within an extremely tight two-week timeline, she transformed a basic draft into a polished, user-centered toolkit that will support governments, funders, and implementers as the program expands to reach more than 500,000 students. Her creativity, attention to detail, and steady commitment under pressure were essential to producing a high-quality tool with global relevance.

Diana Miroslava Muñoz Alonso is recognized for exceptional contributions across multiple training, education, and government partnership initiatives throughout the year. She has supported complex projects in Mexico and Guatemala, coordinated over 100 sessions during Glocal Evaluation Week, and developed high-quality tools, such as content banks, outreach videos, and new training materials, that have strengthened internal processes and improved engagement with partners. Her creativity, reliability, and proactive work behind the scenes have made a meaningful impact across the LAC office.

Mennatallah Badr is recognized for exceptional behind-the-scenes contributions to strengthening J-PAL MENA’s research systems, and team capacity. Many colleagues turn to him when facing technical challenges, and he always take the time to help them find solutions. He developed key internal tools, including the “Living Document” project-tracking system, the handover template now used across teams, and enhanced onboarding materials that have significantly improved workflow clarity and institutional memory. One of his most impactful contributions was designing a survey that enabled the field operations teams to capture consented photos showcasing the real impact of J-PAL’s projects on the ground, materials that were featured during JPAL MENA’s @5 event. Mennatallah's reliability, and thoughtful support have had a lasting and positive influence on both projects’ execution and the everyday functioning of our office.

Sarah Orzalli is recognized for exceptional contributions to J-PAL North America’s grants and finance portfolio and the steady, behind-the-scenes excellence she brings to every aspect of her work. Sarah consistently provides high-quality financial management, develop complex proposals, and guide budgeting processes with clarity and strategic insight - all while stepping in wherever needed to support fundraising, events, financial reporting, and team operations during periods of transition.

Rahul Paul is recognized for consistent and high-quality contributions to J-PAL’s research and field operations in India. Especially for two flagship Graduation Approach projects: the 17-year follow-up of the TUP program in West Bengal and the SJY pilot for scale-up in Bihar, supporting rigorous data collection, coordination, and timely delivery under challenging conditions.
He demonstrated strong ownership by proactively identifying operational and data-related risks and implementing practical solutions, including improvements to survey protocols, workflows, and team coordination.