Phil Eval Network: End of year gathering (Thu 21 Nov)

Bess Rothenberg - Senior Director, Strategy and Learning, The Ford Foundation

Bess Rothenberg leads the foundation’s Office of Strategy and Learning (OSL). OSL is responsible for accompanying programs in the development of strategy, identifying markers of progress for monitoring, and supporting external evaluations and cross-programmatic learning. Her team also is responsible for supporting program staff around grantmaking effectiveness and data governance and analysis.

Before joining the foundation in 2016, Bess served as deputy director of research and evaluation at Wellspring Advisors. In that role, she led strategic planning for international and US-based human rights work. Earlier, Bess was senior program officer for Africa at the International Women’s Health Coalition, and associate director of grants at the American Jewish World Service. She has also served as assistant professor of applied sociology and African studies at Clemson University, and as associate director with Columbia University’s Center for the Study of Human Rights.

Bess earned a PhD in sociology from the University of Virginia. She was a Fulbright doctoral fellow at Humboldt University in Berlin, and earned her BA in sociology from Boston University.

Dr Liz Branigan - Philanthropy Evaluation Network Manager, Philanthropy Australia

Liz leads the Philanthropy Evaluation (Phil Eval) Network – a national initiative to build the measurement, evaluation and learning capacity of funders and philanthropic organisations. In this role she designs and delivers professional learning programs, resources, and events that empower funders to evaluate their impact, partner investments, sustainability, and alignment with their strategy, mission and values.

Liz is an award-winning educator, with 20+ years of leadership expertise in the higher education, VET and for-purpose sectors. She is a skilled facilitator and curriculum expert, specialising in adult education and capability development. She holds a PhD in the social sciences, post-graduate qualifications in education, and received a Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy as global recognition of her leadership and impact in professional learning. She is a passionate and experienced Board Director, including being on the team that established The Luke Batty Foundation.