Ebony Bertorelli (she/her)
Principal, Policy Innovation & Human-Centred Design at Blueprint- Claim this Profile
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French Limited working proficiency
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English Native or bilingual proficiency
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Bio
Aneel Brar
I have known and worked with Ebony for over a decade. She stands out among all my colleagues past and present for her professionalism, deep insights into human behaviour, open-mindedness and critical thinking. As a social scientist Ebony exhibits excellence in designing and executing studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods. She is especially adept at using evidence to design and advocate for effective solutions to problems of global inequity in the realms of health, education, and civic participation. Ebony is a passionate advocate for equity and human rights and is among the best communicators I have ever known. Her ability to connect with people and work across cultures is an innate gift. I have had the pleasure of witnessing this in Northern and Southern India, in both rural and urban settings. Ebony is an excellent manager and, as a leader, has the ability to bring out the best in her colleagues.
Elle Ziegler
Ebony and I worked very closely together for nearly 3 years at Doblin. We worked on a number of complex and fast-paced projects, in both public and private sector, with a very wide range of stakeholders and end-users. Ebony is an extremely gifted design researcher, mentor, and facilitator. She has an impressively deep knowledge of mixed methods research, she holds a room as nobody else can, and most importantly she always puts people first. I’ve never met anyone with more curiosity, empathy, and compassion. I continue to use the tools, methods and approaches she taught me, and I’m grateful for the time we worked together and the many (many!) things I learned from her.
Aneel Brar
I have known and worked with Ebony for over a decade. She stands out among all my colleagues past and present for her professionalism, deep insights into human behaviour, open-mindedness and critical thinking. As a social scientist Ebony exhibits excellence in designing and executing studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods. She is especially adept at using evidence to design and advocate for effective solutions to problems of global inequity in the realms of health, education, and civic participation. Ebony is a passionate advocate for equity and human rights and is among the best communicators I have ever known. Her ability to connect with people and work across cultures is an innate gift. I have had the pleasure of witnessing this in Northern and Southern India, in both rural and urban settings. Ebony is an excellent manager and, as a leader, has the ability to bring out the best in her colleagues.
Elle Ziegler
Ebony and I worked very closely together for nearly 3 years at Doblin. We worked on a number of complex and fast-paced projects, in both public and private sector, with a very wide range of stakeholders and end-users. Ebony is an extremely gifted design researcher, mentor, and facilitator. She has an impressively deep knowledge of mixed methods research, she holds a room as nobody else can, and most importantly she always puts people first. I’ve never met anyone with more curiosity, empathy, and compassion. I continue to use the tools, methods and approaches she taught me, and I’m grateful for the time we worked together and the many (many!) things I learned from her.
Aneel Brar
I have known and worked with Ebony for over a decade. She stands out among all my colleagues past and present for her professionalism, deep insights into human behaviour, open-mindedness and critical thinking. As a social scientist Ebony exhibits excellence in designing and executing studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods. She is especially adept at using evidence to design and advocate for effective solutions to problems of global inequity in the realms of health, education, and civic participation. Ebony is a passionate advocate for equity and human rights and is among the best communicators I have ever known. Her ability to connect with people and work across cultures is an innate gift. I have had the pleasure of witnessing this in Northern and Southern India, in both rural and urban settings. Ebony is an excellent manager and, as a leader, has the ability to bring out the best in her colleagues.
Elle Ziegler
Ebony and I worked very closely together for nearly 3 years at Doblin. We worked on a number of complex and fast-paced projects, in both public and private sector, with a very wide range of stakeholders and end-users. Ebony is an extremely gifted design researcher, mentor, and facilitator. She has an impressively deep knowledge of mixed methods research, she holds a room as nobody else can, and most importantly she always puts people first. I’ve never met anyone with more curiosity, empathy, and compassion. I continue to use the tools, methods and approaches she taught me, and I’m grateful for the time we worked together and the many (many!) things I learned from her.
Aneel Brar
I have known and worked with Ebony for over a decade. She stands out among all my colleagues past and present for her professionalism, deep insights into human behaviour, open-mindedness and critical thinking. As a social scientist Ebony exhibits excellence in designing and executing studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods. She is especially adept at using evidence to design and advocate for effective solutions to problems of global inequity in the realms of health, education, and civic participation. Ebony is a passionate advocate for equity and human rights and is among the best communicators I have ever known. Her ability to connect with people and work across cultures is an innate gift. I have had the pleasure of witnessing this in Northern and Southern India, in both rural and urban settings. Ebony is an excellent manager and, as a leader, has the ability to bring out the best in her colleagues.
Elle Ziegler
Ebony and I worked very closely together for nearly 3 years at Doblin. We worked on a number of complex and fast-paced projects, in both public and private sector, with a very wide range of stakeholders and end-users. Ebony is an extremely gifted design researcher, mentor, and facilitator. She has an impressively deep knowledge of mixed methods research, she holds a room as nobody else can, and most importantly she always puts people first. I’ve never met anyone with more curiosity, empathy, and compassion. I continue to use the tools, methods and approaches she taught me, and I’m grateful for the time we worked together and the many (many!) things I learned from her.
Experience
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Blueprint
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Canada
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Research Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Principal, Policy Innovation & Human-Centred Design
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Jun 2020 - Present
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Director of Policy Innovation and Human-Centred Design
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Jun 2019 - Jun 2020
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York University
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Canada
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Adjunct Professor
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Nov 2018 - Present
• Development and instruction of the graduate level Design Research course for the Masters of Design program • Development and instruction of the graduate level Design Research course for the Masters of Design program
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Doblin
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United States
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Design Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Manager
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Jan 2018 - Nov 2018
• Doblin is Deloitte's Human-Centred Design and innovation firm. One of the first Human-Centred Design firms in North America, our practice helps clients develop and derisk innovation through a blend of design, research, and strategy to support our clients in making things people want.• Tasks: Managing teams to deliver on client work; providing thought leadership on Human-Centred approaches, particularly ethnographic and qualitative research methods; building and leading a a portfolio of work on policy innovation in the public sector and barrier reduction in services and programs for marginalised populations. • Currently the co-lead of recruitment for Doblin Canada.
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Insights Lead
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May 2016 - Jan 2018
• Tasks: Leading on client work; providing thought leadership on Human-Centred approaches, particularly ethnographic and qualitative research methods; specialising in public sector and barrier reduction in services and programs for marginalised populations.
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The World Bank
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United States
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International Trade and Development
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700 & Above Employee
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Consultant
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May 2015 - May 2016
• The Social Observatory, a part of the World Bank’s Development Research Group, is an effort to improve the capacity of anti-poverty projects to make everyday decisions, and modify project design, on the basis of high-quality descriptive, evaluative and process-oriented information. It involves the ability to see better, to learn better, and to adapt on the basis of that learning.• Tasks: Supporting the design and delivery of the Karnataka pilot which encompassed a participatory approach to measure the social and economic well-being of rural women in economic empowerment schemes; specifically: coding and co-leading design of the Karnataka version of the tablet-based survey application; conducting field consultations with women's groups and government stakeholders, supporting communications strategy for program outcomes.
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Janaagraha
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India
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Civic and Social Organizations
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100 - 200 Employee
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Manager, Applied Research
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Jul 2012 - Jul 2014
• One of the leading institutions working on urbanization in India. Applied Research department focuses on cutting-edge research to enable evidence-based solutions and advocacy.• Tasks: Building and leading a team, which during field-work exercises reached 75 employees; designing and advocating for user-centered solutions delivered through multi-sectoral collaboration; creating novel data sets on a variety of topics including: security, citizenship, quality of infrastructure, and public service delivery; conducting monitoring and evaluation for in-house programs; collaborating with with all levels of Indian government, international organizations– such as the World Bank, and leading academic groups– such as Stanford, Brown, LSE, and MITs J-PAL; producing reports/ articles/ media pieces.
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Program Officer, Global Health Diplomacy
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Sep 2009 - Jun 2012
• Policy and support-to-action research platform focused on multi-sectoral policy creation for Global Health. Led by Dr. Nick Drager, Senior Advisor, WHO, and Dr. Laurette Dube, McGill World Platform.• Tasks: Designing, executing, and managing research projects, policy initiatives, and consultative advisory material; creating multi-sectoral platforms and individual projects for better global health diplomacy with key international and regional governmental organizations, industry , civil society, academia, and granting foundations; participating and advising in high-level policy creation; writing book chapters/articles/grant proposals.
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WoRLD Team Member
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Apr 2009 - Aug 2009
• Led by renowned global researcher and policy advisor Dr. Jody Heymann, the WORLD Policy Analysis project seeks to improve the quantity and quality of globally comparative data on policies affecting human health, development, well-being, and equity. • Tasks: Creating a first-time global comparative database of constitutional protections for individual civil, political, and social rights. Employing text analysis, qualitative coding, data reconciliation, and data analysis.
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Policy Fellow
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Nov 2007 - May 2009
• Selected among a competitive roster of applicants to design, research, and conduct an independent case study on policy for educational equity. Case study topic: Increasing the quality of education for India’s marginalized through formal State/Civil Society partnerships.• Tasks: Designing and executing an ethnographic case study and synthesizing findings and policy implications; conducting community-intensive fieldwork spanning several months across Northern India.
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Fellow
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Sep 2008 - May 2009
Awarded a fellowship to support independent research on democracy promotion and normative policy shifts in governmental regional organisations in Latin America and Southeast Asia Awarded a fellowship to support independent research on democracy promotion and normative policy shifts in governmental regional organisations in Latin America and Southeast Asia
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McGill University
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Canada
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Teaching Assistant
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Sep 2007 - Dec 2008
• Courses: Political Science 398– Canadian Foreign Policy; Interdisciplinary Studies 200– Introduction to Development.• Tasks: Leading four conferences a week; marking term papers/exams; holding office hours and voluntary exam sessions.
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Research Assistant
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Jan 2007 - Apr 2008
• Research assistant for Dr. Erik Kuhonta • Tasks: Assisting with any academic research and publications, organizing and managing arrangements for guests and conferences, and researching and compiling a database of information to assist in Dr. Kuhonta’s research on Human Security policy.
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Education
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2007 - 2009
McGill University
Master's Degree, Political Science- Comparative Politics of the Developing World -
2001 - 2005
The University of British Columbia / UBC
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Political Science and Film
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