New York, NY, October 4, 2019 — Today the International Rescue Committee (IRC) named Dr. Jeannie Annan as Chief Research and Innovation Officer for the Airbel Impact Lab, IRC’s research and innovation arm.
Dr. Annan co-founded Airbel, as part of the IRC’s dedication to scale and impact when responding to the world’s greatest challenges. The Airbel Impact Lab has been working in more than 30 countries around the world, designing, testing, and scaling life-changing solutions for people affected by conflict and disaster. Airbel’s aim is to find the most impactful and cost-effective products, services, and delivery systems possible.
Dr. Jeannie Annan, Chief Research and Innovation Officer, said, “There is a lack of proven, cost-effective, scalable services for refugees and people affected by crisis, and that’s exactly why we created the Airbel Impact Lab. I look forward to continuing to ensure that we are at the front line of conducting rigorous evaluations in humanitarian settings, partnering with IRC’s deep expertise to advance solutions and evidence to improve people’s health, education, safety, and economic well-being.”
David Miliband, IRC president and CEO, said, “The humanitarian sector needs top class research and innovation to achieve greater impact. This drive is now at the heart of our organization and benefits our clients every day. I am thrilled that Jeannie Annan will build on the strong foundations already laid. We are determined to bring together our bold ambition and entrepreneurial spirit with deep technical rigor to tackle the most pressing problems in the countries where we work.”
Dr. Annan has been leading research at the IRC for 10 years. Before the IRC, Dr. Annan led education and psychosocial programming in Kosovo, northern Uganda and South Sudan. She is a Senior Research Associate at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, and a research affiliate at Innovations for Poverty Action.