Belen Mekonnen
Chief of Party, Learning Adaptation
Belen is a dedicated professional with over 20 years of experience in exemplary project leadership for development efforts, serving as a DCOP for three consecutive USAID and DFID-funded programs and managing large groups of diverse technical and operational teams. Before joining the Learning Project, she was a Deputy Team Leader and Engagement and Influence Lead for the Civil Society Support Program Phase II, which is a capacity development programme designed to support Ethiopia’s civil society and its contribution to the country’s national development, poverty reduction and advancement of good governance in line with the government’s policies and strategies. As a DCOP for the flagship Yekokeb Birhan for HVC Program and READ M&E Project, Belen was responsible for coordinating the efforts of the team to support over 50 implementing partners throughout the nation, ensuring the quality of the technical supports to the IPs and services for target groups while engaging with different stakeholders for the success and sustainability of the activities. She is recognized for her expertise in adaptive management, including in conditions of conflict and pandemic, KM, capacity building, insightful decision-making, team management, motivation ability, effective communication, delegation, and problem-solving skills. She brings robust experience in working to support women, children, and youth in Ethiopia, and her expertise is grounded in two Master’s degrees in Business Administration, Certified Leadership, and a Bachelor’s degree in Teaching.
Tsion Gebremedhin
Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) Advisor, Learning Adaptation
Tsion Gebremedhin is a CLA Advisor at the Learning Project field office and provides logistical and technical assistance and facilitation support for all Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) capacity-building activities in USAID/Ethiopia and USAID/Djibouti. She supports learning event design, planning, and facilitation and supports after-action reviews, consultative meetings, and workshops. She also oversees and engages in efforts to monitor and assess the effectiveness of capacity-building activities.
Through her 16+ years of experience with international non-governmental organizations, she has managed different economic development, climate change and environment, education, and resilience projects, integrating cross-cutting issues like gender, youth, institutional strengthening, people with disabilities, and the most vulnerable. She has demonstrated experience facilitating CLA processes and delivering training virtually, face-to-face, and in hybrid settings with cross-cultural teams, and has supported adaptive programming for conflict-affected communities. She has experience in design, planning, implementation, financial and operational management, and monitoring and evaluation. She has analyzed, documented and shared learning for decision makers.
She has a BA in Economics and an MSc. in Project Planning & Management. She also participated in a six-month transformational leadership coaching and training program by UN Women. Tsion holds an ICF (International Coaching Federation) -accredited basic coaching certificate from the Leadership Coaching Network.
Dr. Yitbarek Kidane Woldetensay
Developmental Evaluation Lead, Health/EYO, Learning Adaptation
Dr. Yitbarek Kidane Woldetensay brings 18 years of experience in project monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning in the fields of international development, nutrition, and public health. For more than 10 years, he has been working for international development organizations, including Tufts University, Save the Children International, Nutrition International, Big-Win Philanthropy, and Menschen fur Menschen Foundation, evaluating USAID and DFID-funded projects. He has extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative evaluation design, data collection tools design and validation, research team training, field supervision, data quality assurance, research partnership, and overall research project management. Dr. Woldetensay is currently serving as the Developmental Evaluator Lead on a 5-year Developmental Evaluation for USAID/Ethiopia’s disaster risk management portfolio, where he leads a team of 3 other staff in the identification and management of contributing or new evaluative or data collection needs as they arise and supports opportunities to help clients use the collected data for better planning and decision-making. Prior to joining Headlight, Dr. Woldetensay provided both curative and preventive health services for more than four years in rural Ethiopia. He also has teaching experience at Jimma University where he served as the instructor for courses including Health Education, Health Promotion Models and Theories, and Qualitative Research Methods. Dr. Woldetensay holds a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from Hohenheim University in Germany, a Master’s of Public Health in Health Education and Health Promotion from Jimma University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health from Dilla University in Ethiopia.
Esrael Woldeeyesus
Developmental Evaluation Lead, Humanitarian Assistance, Learning Adaptation
Esrael has a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and BA in Economics. He has more than 12 years of experience with extensive knowledge in Monitoring and Evaluation (formative, summative, and developmental evaluation methods), Resource Development, Grants Management, and Project Management. He has ample experience working with major donors (e.g., USAID, ECHO, EU, GAC, and Australian DFAT), Ethiopian government offices/ministries (e.g., EDRMC, RRS, and Ministry of Finance), and multilateral organizations (UN agencies, IGAD, and African Union). Before joining Headlight, Esrael was a Grants Manager at Lutheran World Federation, and he served in different capacities at Australian DFAT, World Vision, and Compassion International. Esrael designed, implemented, supervised, and evaluated several projects in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Djibouti, and Central African Republic. Esrael is a skilled facilitator to support ideation and action on recommendations. Recently, he supported USAID/Ethiopia implementing partners, including Save the Children International and Global Communities, facilitating adaptation workshops and providing ongoing technical support. Since joining Headlight, Esrael has contributed to several studies and blogs, and he authored a facilitator’s guide on Adaptive Action Planning Workshops.
Yohannes Mebrate
Developmental Evaluation Lead, ODG/Conflict, Learning Adaptation
Yohannes Mebrate is a qualitative research analyst with 6+ years of experience managing and executing research and knowledge management activities in various capacities in the context of National, International NGOs and Higher Academic Institutes settings. Yohannes has led, coordinated, and managed a wide array of national research undertakings involving both qualitative and quantitative for notable INGOs such as USAID, World Bank, SNV, and KOIKA in his capacity as a Researcher, Project Manager, and Qualitative Team Lead in various research organizations.
To highlight a few of the study topics which Yohannes has either directly executed or coordinated, here are few themes: Policy Research and Analysis, Conflict and Post-conflict Analysis, Gender, Resilience and Food Security, Livelihood and Resilience, Mobile Population, Child/Maternal Nutrition, Quality of Education, Elderly individuals, Female Genital Mutilation/HTPs, Refugees, and Migration. Yohannes’s experience is grounded with both a Master’s (LLM) and Bachelor’s degree (LLB) in Legal Studies around International Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws, Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution Mechanisms from Jimma and Debre Berhan/Addis Ababa University.
Mengistu Arba Alemu
Developmental Evaluation Team Lead, Economic Growth and Resilience, Learning Adaptation
Mengistu Arba Alemu is a development and humanitarian expert and leader with nearly 20 years of experience focused on leading, managing, monitoring, evaluating, and technically supporting programs and projects in Ethiopia and the Middle East. He has expertise in the design and management of strategic plans, development as well as emergency programs/projects. He has skills in program cycle management, participatory rural appraisal, result-based management (RBM), participatory monitoring, evaluation and learning, and nexus approaches (especially emergency – development – peace nexus). Sectorially, his focus areas include livelihood, resilience building, climate-smart agriculture, nutrition-sensitive programming and health, multi-purpose cash transfers and markets, disaster risk reduction, and early warning and early action approaches.
Recently, he led and was involved in the design/development of result-based Management M&E systems and tools, the digitalization of ME systems using different digital data gathering applications, and supported the monitoring of programs and projects, the baseline, midline, and end-line surveys, and final evaluations. He also facilitated and managed learning review sessions, case studies, and best practices with different stakeholders. From a program management perspective, he led and took part in the design and implementation of livelihood graduation programs, integrated development programs, multi-sectoral resilience projects, food security and nutrition enhancement projects, and many emergency projects. He has skills in team management, resource/grant management, donor relations, and communication.
He worked with different international NGOs, including Un Ponte Per (as Head of Mission in North East Syria) and Concern Worldwide (as program Coordinator, Livelihood and Food Security Program Manager, Integrated Development Program Manager, and Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Officer in Ethiopia). He also has experience working in different national CSOs and government offices in Ethiopia. He worked with donors such as ECHO, USAID, BHA, UN agencies (UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP, UNOCHA), KOICA, IRISH AID, GAC, AICS, CDCS, GIZ, FCDO, and many others.
He holds a Master of Arts Degree in Rural Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and is currently pursuing his studies in Economics. He speaks English, Amharic (Native) and Wolaitta (Native) languages.
Endashaw Asfaw Beshir
Developmental Evaluation (DE) Team Member, Resilience, Learning Adaptation
Endashaw Asfaw Beshir is a monitoring, evaluation, and learning specialist with 8 years of experience. His expertise is in context and stakeholder analysis, monitoring and evaluation, livelihoods and food security, environmental protection, early warning and disaster mitigation, and community mobilization. He is also well experienced in project design, proposal and concept paper development, operational planning and reporting, gathering learnings, facilitating adaptation, organizing multi-stakeholder platforms, and developing tool and data collection methods for qualitative evaluations. His career started by working in private companies on quality control. Before joining Headlight Consulting Services, LLP, he worked at World Vision Ethiopia in different positions as an international humanitarian practitioner, in particular on the USAID-funded consortium activity, SPIR-DFSA II, as a MEAL Officer. Now at Headlight, he is a core team member conducting a Developmental Evaluation on the USAID Mission’s work to strengthen disaster risk management systems and institutions. Mr. Beshir is currently engaged in Learning Review development through organizing an evidence catalog and qualitative analysis to support data-driven decision-making for clients. He has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Protection from Hohenheim University in Germany, and he speaks fluent Amharic and English.
Temesgen Wario
Developmental Evaluator
Temesgen is an experienced humanitarian and development professional with over 18 years of diverse experience working with various INGOs, local NGOs, private sectors, and International Consulting Inc. (US-based) on complex and large-scale, donor-funded humanitarian and long-term development projects. Temesgen has a proven track record of success in senior positions with program development, management, and coordination of different thematic sectors and strategic planning across various regions of Ethiopia, including working in international refugee context settings.
Prior to joining Headlight, Temesgen worked with various INGOs, local NGOs, private sectors, and International Consulting Inc. on complex and large-scale, donor-funded humanitarian assistance and development projects. His experience includes serving as a Field Program Officer with the USAID/Office of Transition Initiative Ethiopia Support Program (short-term consultant Technical Assistance for 1+ year ), Humanitarian Emergency Response Project Manager with Self Help Africa Ethiopia, Area Program Manager & Cash and Livelihood Program Coordinator with Dan Church Aid at South Sudanese Refugee camp, and in various capacities with Mercy Corps Ethiopia (for 8+years in USAID funded programs), including as Program Quality and Emergency Response Manager, Area Manager/Head of Office, and Program Officer for Peace Building and Conflict Management. Temesgen has also served as Democracy International’s Regional Assessment Consultant and as a Field Researcher for International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (“IBTCI”). Temesgen has extensive experience coordinating and facilitating various action research projects, including baseline, rapid need assessment, and emergency assessment coordination.
Temesgen holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Community Development and Leadership from the Ethiopian Adventist University, College of Community Development Studies, with 18 years of professional experience, combined with certification at international and national levels. Temesgen is fluent in Afaan Oromo, Amharic, and English.
Tewodros Wuletaw Wubetu
Developmental Evaluator
A Demographer by profession and with more than 16+ years of significant national and international engagement in development and humanitarian programs, Tewodros has pertinent experience in program/project monitoring and evaluation system development; designing and managing organizational knowledge and impact assessments; data management and analysis; adult learning principles and competency framework development; result-based management and participatory planning; designing and managing development projects; and organizing capacity-building events and workshops. Moreover, he is also proficient in statistical software such as SPSS, STATA, EPI-INFO, CSPRO, Arc GIS, ENA, MWater, and other mobile data collection platforms (ODK, Survey CTO and Kobo toolbox).
Prior to Headlight, Tewodros has been working for INGOs in different capacities, including, among others: M&E Advisor at USAID Healthy Behaviour Activity at FHI 360; MEAL Manager at MTI-Ethiopia; Deputy MEAL Department Head at Action Against Hunger; and Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at MSI (a project by DFID). Moreover, he provided consultancy services for different INGOs in leading baseline and end-line surveys, formative and operational research, M&E training, and designs of electronic data collection tools. Now at Headlight, he is a development evaluation team member of the USAID Learning Adaptation project.
Tewodros is a graduate of Addis Ababa University, College of Development Studies with an M.Sc. degree in Population Studies (Demography) and a B.A. degree in Geography with a minor in Demography from the College of Social Science.
