Laura M. Ahearn

Laura M. Ahearn is a linguistic anthropologist and Nepal specialist with expertise in research, learning, adaptive management, and developmental evaluation. Drawing on keen ethnographic insights and strong writing and research skills, she studied and supported the implementation of USAID's Digital Development Strategy through a developmental evaluation (DE). Prior to joining Social Impact, she worked on learning agendas for USAID's DRG Center and PPL Bureau. Before that, she was an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow at USAID and a tenured professor of anthropology at Rutgers University. She has written scholarly articles and two books, including the best-selling Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology, which has been translated into Chinese and Polish. Her research in Nepal has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.