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Evidence Action Announces Kanika Bahl as New CEO

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Evidence Action’s Board today announced that Kanika Bahl was appointed Evidence Action’s new CEO. 

“I am thrilled to join Evidence Action and build on the tremendous record the organization has created. In just four short years, this organization has achieved incredible things. Bringing safe, clean water to millions of people even in the most remote areas. Working with governments to deliver deworming medicines for hundreds of millions of children. Identifying, pressure testing, and building promising new interventions. Evidence Action is helping good ideas scale, and scaling our own capacities as we go.”

Kanika Bahl brings a proven track record in leading fast growing and effective development organizations. She played a leadership role at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) as the organization grew from 50 to 700 people. While at CHAI she launched work across 20 African countries while based in Lusaka and Nairobi for four years. She also helped manage the rapid and successful growth of a $380M, 33-country pediatric HIV/AIDS treatment program which achieved 60% price reductions on antiretroviral drugs.

President Bill Clinton noted that “Kanika Bahl helped scale up the Clinton Health Access Initiative programs across Africa and improved the lives of millions of people. I’m confident she’ll bring the same entrepreneurial spirit, optimism, and effectiveness to Evidence Action, and I look forward to seeing the results of her leadership in the years to come.”

Her more recent work on the leadership team ramping up Results for Development has improved access for millions to malaria bed nets and pneumonia treatments. 

Elie Hassenfeld, co-founder of GiveWell said “Evidence Action is an outstanding organization, and Kanika’s analytical rigor and commitment to evidence-based interventions should serve it well.”

Kanika Bahl has been a member of the Board of Evidence Action since 2015 and Acting CEO since November 2016. 

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Evidence Action measurably reduces the burden of poverty for hundreds of millions of people by scaling proven solutions backed by rigorous evidence.  We fill the gap between the most promising evidence about “what works” and having impact at scale. We rapidly build best practice operational models and identify innovative, appropriate financing mechanisms. We voraciously self-evaluate, learn, and improve our models for scaling with a commitment to transparency on progress, impact, and value for money.