Founder & CEO

Dr. Matt Schuelka is a technical consultant, researcher, evaluator, writer, and teacher. He has experience at all levels of education, from kindergarteners to graduate students, and has lived and worked in numerous countries worldwide. He has worked in higher education since 2010, having taught at the University of Minnesota, Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, Royal Thimphu College, the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, and the University of Birmingham (UK and Dubai campuses). He is the author or editor of numerous books, chapters, and articles. Dr. Schuelka has been the primary investigator for large-scale international research projects funded by the Toyota Foundation, the European Union, UKAid, and the British Academy; as well as a consultant with numerous agencies, including USAID, UNICEF, UNESCO, and the World Bank.

Dr. Schuelka has a wide range of international experiences. He has worked on projects in Europe (UK, Ireland, Croatia, Denmark), Sub-Saharan Africa (Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Mozambique, Sierra Leone), the Middle East and North Africa (UAE, Lebanon, Algeria), North America and the Caribbean (USA, Jamaica), and Asia (Bhutan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka).

Associate

Dr. Nisma Elias is a researcher, evaluator, teacher, and writer. She has worked within the international education space since 2013. Dr. Elias has worked at all levels of education and on education programming in the private sector, in government, and in academia. She has experience working with consulting agencies such as Results for Development (R4D), large multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, and within the Ministry of Education of Zanzibar. She has authored several chapters and articles on social inclusion, private schooling, and education systems strengthening.

Dr. Elias has experience teaching in higher education at the University of Minnesota and primary school in Bangladesh. She has served as an evaluation consultant for UNICEF and has worked on developing, implementing, researching, and evaluating education projects in Tanzania, Nepal, Bangladesh, Canada, and the United States.

Associate

Anwari Nur Muttaqin is an education researcher, policy analyst, and consultant specializing in higher education transformation, curriculum innovation, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. He has played a key role in implementing Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Mandiri, supporting over 700 Indonesia’s higher education institutions in aligning Indonesia’s learning policy with institutional and regional needs. He collaborates with government agencies, international organizations, and higher education institutions to develop research-driven solutions that strengthen institutional capacity and policy execution. His expertise spans policy evaluation, curriculum development, teacher training, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring localized and sustainable education reforms.

Passionate about knowledge dissemination and public engagement, he led the Papan Tulis Podcast, localizing UNESCO’s "Reimagining Our Futures Together" report for Indonesian audiences, reaching listeners in over 30 countries. He has also contributed as a research reviewer and STEM education advocate. Committed to innovative, research-based educational solutions, he focuses on policy analysis, curriculum design, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to drive impactful education development.

Associate

Dr. Tara N. Poudel is an experienced practitioner in Research, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptive Management. He has extensive expertise in project design and development, monitoring and evaluation, large-scale assessments, and policy discourse at various levels. He has experience across all levels of education.

Dr. Poudel has working experience with national and international development agencies, including Chemonics International Inc., DAI Global LLC, Itad Inc., Bixal Solutions Inc., RTI International, Oxfam GB, and Save the Children International. He has significant experience collaborating with Nepal's Ministry of Education for education programs and the Ministry of Federal Affairs on governance initiatives. Additionally, he has worked as an employee and/or consultant with bilateral and multilateral organizations such as USAID, KOICA, FCDO, the World Bank, UNDP, UNICEF, SDC, and other UN agencies in various capacities.

An expert in gender and social inclusion, Dr Poudel specializes in inclusive approaches for project design, research, and evaluations. He has extensive proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. He has contributed to projects across Nepal, Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Turkey.

Associate

Dr. Ghada Swadek is an education consultant supporting schools, NGOs, and international project teams in developing, implementing, and improving programs for diverse learners. She has worked, coordinated, and volunteered in formal and informal education contexts in the United States and North Africa including religious and weekend education programs, community preschool, post-secondary disability support services, inclusive community-based education and sports programs, and homeschool programs. Her work also includes direct support to families of children with disabilities.

Dr. Swadek is an experienced educator with expertise working with students with disabilities and struggling learners from diverse backgrounds and contexts. She has expertise in the implementation of multi-tiered systems of support to enhance learners’ academic and social-emotional development, disability-inclusive education policy development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), SDG 4 implications for inclusive education, literacy development, and reading disabilities in Arabic language contexts, and assessment as related to students with disabilities.

Dr. Marie Sophia Anick Tolbize-Azie is an educational psychologist and school psychology practitioner with over a decade of leadership experience as Manager and Training Coordinator at the Roman Catholic Education Authority in Rodrigues, Republic of Mauritius. In this role, she collaborates with school leaders to enhance educational outcomes through a variety of strategic initiatives.

She trains teachers in evidence-based practices for English as a second language reading instruction and plays a key role in establishing inclusive education services for learners with disabilities. Dr. Tolbize-Azie has also introduced universal screening, early interventions, and positive behaviour support systems. Her work includes improving assessments and promoting data-based decision-making, as well as developing practice materials that align with both best practices and the local curriculum.

Bridging research and practical application, Dr. Tolbize-Azie promotes universal design for learning (UDL) principles while crafting localized solutions to address emerging gaps in the education system. She has successfully secured grants for several important initiatives, including a Creole language therapy program, a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework for students with speech and motor difficulties, and capacity building for data-driven decision-making. Additional initiatives under her leadership have addressed child sexual abuse prevention, summer reading loss prevention, climate-resilient school upgrades, the development of a science center in Mauritus, accessibility improvements for students with disabilities, and the implementation of socio-emotional programs.