CHRISTOPHER RICE
Research Translation Communication Lead
Chris Rice is the Research Translation Communication Lead within the LASER PULSE Consortium and Indiana University Center for Global health. He works to ensure project-funded research is effectively translated into the field, specifically focusing on communications-related strategies and deliverables. This includes developing capacity building tools and trainings and actively working with researchers, practitioners, and implementers to translate research into policy or practice in a variety of sectors around the world.
Chris has various experiences in international programming including education, human rights, entrepreneurship, monitoring and evaluation, and communications. He has worked in non-profit and university settings to implement U.S. government grants. Prior to joining LASER PULSE, Chris managed international programs at IU Kelley School of Business, overseeing international education and entrepreneurship capacity building projects in the Middle East and North Africa.
Chris graduated from the #1-ranked IU School of Public & Environmental Affairs and holds Master’s degrees in international development and communications.
FREDERICK ROSSI, PH.D.
Knowledge Mgt. & Performance Monitoring Specialist
Dr. Rossi is an Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist with experience spanning international development (in Asia and Africa) and academia with regard to research, project management, and monitoring and evaluation. He has expertise in compiling and analyzing quantitative and qualitative primary and secondary data and information, particularly survey data with thousands of observations and hundreds of variables; and experience with the strategic development of monitoring and evaluation results frameworks, performance monitoring plans, and supporting surveys for a USAID Feed the Future project. He leads the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning team for LASER PULSE. He holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Florida and Colorado State University, respectively, and a B.Sc. in Geology from Michigan State University.
ALEXANDRA TOWNS, PH.D.
Research Translation Strategy Lead
Dr. Alexandra Towns is the Research Translation Strategy Lead with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), focusing on developing and implementing LASER’s research translation strategy, with an emphasis on practitioner engagement. Alexandra has worked for CRS since 2015, advising on research and university collaborations to improve the programming in the 100+ countries where CRS works. Dr. Towns has also led assessments on African indigenous vegetables for CRS food security programs in Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Uganda, and Zambia and teaches as an adjunct professor at Towson University. Prior to joining CRS, Alexandra worked at Naturalis Biodiversity Center, researching West African plant markets and African plant-based medicine for maternal and infant health. Alexandra holds a PhD from Leiden University and a MS from the University of California, Davis.
