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Vedavati Patwardhan

Vedavati Patwardhan

Research Scientist
Center on Gender Equity and Health, UC San Diego
Vedavati Patwardhan is a Ph.D. graduate in Public Policy and Management, with concentrations in Demography and Economics. Vedavati is a quantitative researcher interested in examining the factors and policy levers that affect the well-being of women and children in low and middle-income countries. One line of her research focuses on the drivers of women’s economic empowerment, particularly, the role of social norms and women's agency in shaping economic inclusion, including work force participation and control over household finances. Other strands of her work examine the intersection of gender and health, in particular female-male differences in health over the life course, and the evaluation of public policies such as cash transfers on child nutrition. In her dissertation research, Vedavati used nationally representative survey data to examine the relationship between maternal cash transfers and child nutrition in India, and women's decision-making over household income, specifically the role of climate shocks, income source, and family structure in Malawi. Vedavati has a Master of Arts in Global & International Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Fergusson College, University of Pune, India. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Demographic Methods from the Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology at the University of Washington. In 2019, she received a Certificate from the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research at Syracuse University (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs).
Ph.D. in Public Policy & Management, University of Washington
M.A. in Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2011
B.A. in Economics, Fergusson College, University of Pune, 2007
Women's Economic Empowerment
Gender and Health Equity
Social Determinants of Health
Social Protection in LMICs

Work and Family Researchers Network Early Career Fellow, 2024
Dissertation Grant, Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy, 2021
Marc Lindenberg Center Global Action Prize, Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, UW Seattle, 2021
Diversity Alliance Fellowship, Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, UW Seattle, 2019–2021
Best Poster Award, UW Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology Lightning Talk Series, 2020
Equity & Inclusion Fellowship, Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management, 2018
Central Small Department Regents Fellowship, UC Santa Barbara, 2008–2009
Orfalea Family Foundation Fellowship, Department of Global Studies, UC Santa Barbara, 2008–2010

1. Patwardhan, V., Gil, G.,.…& Gakidou, E., & Flor, L.S. (2024). Differences across the lifespan between females and males in the top 20 causes of disease burden globally: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Public Health. 2024: 9: e282-e294
2. Patwardhan, V. (2023). The impact of the Mamata Conditional Cash Transfer program on child nutrition in Odisha, India. Health Economics, 32(9), 2127-2146.
3. Anderson, C. L., Reynolds, T. W., Biscaye, P., Patwardhan, V., & Schmidt, C. (2021). Economic benefits of empowering women in agriculture: Assumptions and evidence. The Journal of Development Studies, 57(2), 193-208.
[Top-5 Most Read Articles 2021]
4. Spencer, C. N., Khalil, M., Herbert, M…. [Patwardhan, V]., … & Gakidou, E. (2023). Health effects associated with exposure to intimate partner violence against women and childhood sexual abuse: a burden of proof study. Nature Medicine, 29(12), 3243-3258.
5. Flor, L. S., Friedman, J., Spencer, C. N., Cagney, J., Arrieta, A., Herbert, M. E., … [Patwardhan, V] … & Gakidou, E. (2022). Quantifying the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender equality on health, social, and economic indicators: A comprehensive review of data from March, 2020, to September, 2021. The Lancet, 399(10344), 2381-2397.

Committee Co-Chairs

C. Leigh Anderson

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Marc Lindenberg Professor for Humanitarian Action, International Development, and Global Citizenship
PAR 240F
(206) 543-0365

Mary Kay Gugerty

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Associate Dean for Teaching & Learning;
Nancy Bell Evans Professor in Nonprofit Management
PAR 240-H
(206) 221-4599

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Ziad Zaghrout

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Director of Science

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Adjunct Assistant Professor

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Distinguished Practitioner

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Sharon Kioko

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Shalini Jain

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Sara E. Levin

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Ryan Scott

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Robert D. Plotnick

Daniel J. Evans Professor Emeritus of Public Policy & Governance

Richard O. Zerbe Jr.

Professor Emeritus of Public Policy & Governance

Reed Humphrey

Ph.D. Candidate

Rebecca Walcott

Economist

Rebecca Toole

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Rebeca de Buen Kalman

Project Manager Data & Research

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Rachel Leong-Sato

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Associate Professor, UW Department of Economics

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PAR 260E

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Philip Womble

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Mary Wideman-Williams (MPA ’05)

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Mary Snapp

President, Microsoft Philanthropies

Mary Kay Gugerty

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Associate Dean for Teaching & Learning;
Nancy Bell Evans Professor in Nonprofit Management
PAR 240-H
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Marla Salmon

Adjunct Professor of Public Policy & Governance;
Professor, University of Washington Department of Global Health
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Mark Nepf

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Marissa Busch

Project Coordinator, IPPHL

Marieka M. Klawitter

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Luis Navarro

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Lorraine Patterson-Harris

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Lizzie Tong

Ph.D. Student

Liz Steen

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Associate Professor

Lauren Domino

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Katherine Cheng

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Katharine Destler

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Kate Sykes

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Karin D. Martin

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Julianne Slate Weaver

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Julia Karon

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Julia Carboni

Distinguished Scholar

Joshua Merfeld

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Jonathan Brock

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John Compton

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Jennifer Stuber

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Jennifer Romich

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Jennifer Otten

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Jacqueline Meijer-Irons

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Jacob L. Vigdor

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Jacob Grumbach

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September 15, 1948 - January 29, 2025

Isaiah Wright

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Isabelle Cohen

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PAR 260H

Isaac Sederbaum

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Ines Jurcevic

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PAR 260D

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Adjunct Associate Professor

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Teaching Assistant, IPPHL

Erica Barnhart

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Associate Teaching Professor;
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PAR 240K

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Research Consultant

Emily Finchum-Mason

Workforce Analyst

Ellyn (Ellie) Terry

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Elizabeth Richardson Vigdor

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PAR 340G
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Elizabeth Pelletier

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Senior Research Scientist

Elizabeth Dickie

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Elaine Faustman

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Ed Lazar

Executive Director, Milburn Services LLC

Dwight Dively

Distinguished Practitioner
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Dilyara Begalykyzy

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Didier Alia

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Diana Gale

Senior Lecturer Emeritus, Evans School of Public Policy & Governance

Debra Bragg

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President of Bragg and Associates, Inc.

Debbie Driver

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Distinguished Practitioner

David Suárez

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Associate Dean for Research;
Colleen Willoughby Endowed Professor in Philanthropy & Civil Society
PAR 340K
(206) 221-1058

David Sheppard

Regional Inspector General, US Department of Commerce

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Senior Lecturer Emeritus of Public Policy & Governance

David F. Layton

Professor of Public Policy & Governance
PAR 340E
(206) 221-3585

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Distinguished Practitioner

Danielle Fumia

Senior Research Scientist

Daniel J. Evans

(1925-2024)

Dahn Bi Lee-Hong

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Dafeng Xu

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PAR 340D
(206) 543-6386

Crystal C. Hall

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John and Marguerite Walker Corbally Endowed Professor in Public Service
PAR 240B
(206) 221-5237

Craig W. Thomas

Professor
PAR 240E
(206) 221-3669

Cory Struthers

Assistant Professor
240G

Connie Tran

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Events Manager
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Colleen Chrisinger

Senior Economist

Clare Ryan

Adjunct Professor of Public Policy & Governance;
Professor of Forest Resources
(206) 616-3987

Clara Berridge

Adjunct Associate Professor

Christine Rolfes (MPA ’91)

Kitsap County Commissioner

Christina Coomer

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Digital Solutions Analyst
(206) 685-0523

Christian R. Diaz

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Assistant Dean of Finance & Administration
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Charles Hirschman

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Boeing International Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Public Policy & Governance

Callie Freitag

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Assistant Professor

Cali Jahn

Innovation & Engagement Manager
PAR 253

C. Leigh Anderson

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Marc Lindenberg Professor for Humanitarian Action, International Development, and Global Citizenship
PAR 240F
(206) 543-0365

Bryce Erlandson

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Brian F. O’Neill

Post-Doctoral Scholar

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Evans School Founding Dean 1962-1980
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Brandi Shah

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Distinguished Practitioner

Bobbe Bridge

Founding President and Chief Executive Officer, Center for Children & Youth Justice, Washington State Supreme Court (retired)

Bianca Salazar

Academic Advisor

Bethany Gordon

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Adjunct Associate Professor

Benjamin M. Brunjes

Associate Professor
PAR 260C
(206) 685-0680

Benjamin Glasner

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Associate Economist, Economic Innovation Group

Becky Corriell

Assistant Dean of Students & Learning Innovation

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Arielle Weaver

Ph.D. Candidate

Anne Buffardi

Head of Research, Evidence Islington Health Determinants Research Collaboration, NIHR Advanced Local Authority Fellow

Anna Segelman

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PAR 140D

Anna Kenig-Ziesler

Ph.D. Student

Ann Bostrom

Weyerhaeuser Endowed Professor in Environmental Policy
PAR 340A
(206) 685-8198

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Angelique Day

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Adjunct Associate Professor

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Andrew Tomes

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Research Scientist, EPAR

Andrew Gordon

Professor Emeritus of Public Affairs

Amy Beck Harris

Lecturer

Amen Tsegai

Undergraduate Programming Manager

Amanda Bankston

Director of EPIC

Amaka Nnaji

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Senior Data Scientist

Allan J. Calarco

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Center for Creative Leadership, Global Solutions Faculty-Health Sector

Alison Poulsen

Alison Poulsen
Executive Director at Better Health Together

Alison C. Cullen

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Daniel J. Evans Endowed Professor of Environmental Policy
PAR 240H
(206) 616-1654

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Adjunct Professor

Alexandra Liggins

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Distinguished Practitioner

Alex Ybarra

Washington State Representative

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Advising & Outreach Manager

Alec Kennedy

Educational Policy Analyst

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Economist

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Global Engagement Manager, IPPHL

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Abigail Dunne-Moses
Center for Creative Leadership, Senior Faculty
Essays on Women’s Control over Income, Maternal Cash Transfers, and Rainfall Shocks: Evidence from India and Malawi