Meet the Women, Business and the Law team
Women, Business and the Law reports are researched and written by a team of experienced lawyers and experts. The current team is listed below.
Norman Loayza
Director - Global Indicators Group
Norman Loayza is Director of the Global Indicators Group at the World Bank. Previously, he was a Lead Economist in the Development Research Group and managed the Asia hub of the Research Group, based in Malaysia. He was director of the World Development Report 2014, Risk and Opportunity: Managing Risk for Development. His research has dealt with various areas of economic and social development, including macroeconomic management, economic growth, microeconomic flexibility, private and public saving, financial depth and stability, natural disasters, and crime and violence. His advisory experience at the World Bank has also ranged across different topics in various regions and countries. A few examples include business environment and economic performance in Latin America; informal and formal labor markets in the Middle East and Northern Africa; public infrastructure gaps in Pakistan and Egypt; savings for macroeconomic stability and growth in Sri Lanka, Georgia, and Egypt; and pro-poor growth in Indonesia and Peru. On external service from the World Bank, he was a Senior Economist at the Central Bank of Chile (1999-2000), where he advised on financial and monetary policy. Norman has edited 10 books and published dozens of papers in professional journals and edited volumes. A Peruvian national, he holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University (1994).
Tea Trumbic
Manager - Women, Business and the Law Project
Tea Trumbic is the Manager of the Women, Business and the Law project in the World Bank’s Development Economics vice-presidency, where she leads a dynamic team to produce data and analysis on laws and regulations that impact women’s economic opportunities in 190 economies. She joined the World Bank in 2006, and has worked on production of indicators related to business taxation, credit information, agribusiness, trade and gender. Before joining the World Bank, Tea worked at the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia and the International Monetary Fund. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University and a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics.
Daniela Behr
Economist
Daniela Behr is an Economist of the Women, Business and the Law Project. She currently leads the team’s research on women’s legal capacity regarding freedom of movement, property rights, and entrepreneurship. Daniela joined the Women, Business and the Law team in July 2022. Before joining the team, Daniela has worked in various capacities at the World Bank Group since 2018 co-leading a research project on affordable housing, conducting impact assessments of IFC’s investments in financial institutions, and working on indicator development related to agribusiness regulations. Prior to joining the World Bank Group, Daniela was a research fellow at University of Konstanz and George Washington University and a human rights and gender specialist with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Daniela studied in Konstanz, Madrid, and Toronto and holds a PhD in political economy from the University of Konstanz. She is fluent in German and conversant in Spanish.
Julia Braunmiller
Senior Private Sector Development Specialist
Julia Constanze Braunmiller is a Senior Private Sector Development Specialist with the World Bank Group’s Women, Business and the Law project. She assists with team supervision and leads efforts to disseminate Women, Business and the Law data and devise strategies to inform World Bank operations on legal and policy reform for women’s economic empowerment. Her expertise is in comparative family law, women’s entrepreneurship, access to finance, the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities, and the rights of women with disabilities. Before joining the team in 2015, she taught international human rights law at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and directed programs on combating human trafficking and pioneering clinical legal education throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Julia holds an M.A. in International Relations from SAIS and a law degree from Germany (Diplom-Juristin). She speaks German, Italian, French, and Dutch.
Eduardo Calderón
Analyst
Eduardo Calderón is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. His responsibilities include researching, analyzing, and collecting data on family law, focusing on the mobility, marriage, entrepreneurship, and assets indicators. He joined the team in May 2022. Before joining the team, Eduardo was a human rights advisor at the Pan-American Health Organization, a legal consultant at the World Bank Group, where he focused on non-discrimination, equality, and economic inclusion of minorities, and taught international law at Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala. Eduardo obtained an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from The George Washington University Law School and a Master of International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He speaks Spanish and English and is conversational in Portuguese.
Shantel (Marekera) Chakara
Analyst
Shantel (Marekera) Chakara is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. She conducts legal research and policy analysis for the Safety indicator and is currently also supporting the new workstream on taxes and gender-responsive budgeting. She functions as WBL's focal point for Eastern and Southern Africa and is involved in other core functions of the team including customer relationship management, production, fundraising and dissemination. Prior to joining WBL, Shantel worked with various civil society organizations and served as a member of UN Women’s Beijing+25 Youth Task Force and Generation Equality Action Coalition Working Group. She was awarded the annual Changemaker Award by Gucci and Chime for Change for her advocacy work championing women and girls' rights across the world. Shantel holds a Law degree from the University of Oxford where she graduated as a Rhodes scholar. She also holds an undergraduate and a master’s degree in Justice Studies from Barrett the Honors College at Arizona State University where she was a MasterCard Foundation scholar.
Alexis Cheney
Analyst
Alexis Cheney is an Analyst on the Women, Business and the Law project. She contributes to the research on labor laws and regulations. She also disseminates the team’s research, facilitates stakeholder engagement and supports fundraising. Alexis joined the World Bank in June 2021. Before joining the team, she worked as a Paralegal at the U.S. Department of Justice and as a communications consultant for the OECD. She graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University and Sciences Po with a M.A. in International Affairs. She speaks French.
César Diago
Junior Professional Associate
César Diago is a Junior Professional Associate for the Women, Business and the Law project. He conducts legal research and policy analysis for the safety indicator and supports the project's dissemination efforts. César joined the team in March 2024 after working in the Human Development Vice Presidency Front Office (HDVPFO). Before joining the World Bank Group, he worked as an advisor in the Presidency of the Constitutional Court of Colombia. In this role, he led strategic partnerships to promote access to justice for citizens, particularly those from marginalized communities. César holds a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University, a Bachelor of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Universidad de los Andes. He is fluent in Spanish and English.
Nadine DiMonte
Private Sector Development Specialist
Nadine DiMonte is a Private Sector Development Specialist in the World Bank’s Development Economics Vice-Presidency. She is responsible for overseeing the dialogue with governments and shaping the communication strategy with stakeholders. She also leads the drafting of the team’s Methodology Handbook. Ms. DiMonte joined the World Bank in 2013 and has extensively worked on shaping essential documents for the team and on the regulatory framework analysis of the business environment in countries globally. Her work has focused mainly on corporate governance and secured transactions. Ms. DiMonte holds an LLM in Corporate Law from Cornell Law School and a Bachelor of Laws in French Law and Lebanese Law from Saint Joseph University. She is a member of the New York Bar Association. Before joining the World Bank Group, Ms. DiMonte worked as an associate in the corporate and banking department at law firms in the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon. She is fluent in French and Arabic.
Marina Elefante
Private Sector Development Specialist
Marina Elefante is a Private Sector Development Specialist of the Women, Business and the Law project. She leads research on violence against women and the project's engagement with stakeholders. She joined the team in 2016. Before joining the team, Marina drafted legal aid legislation for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), taught international human rights law at Yeditepe University in Istanbul and led human trafficking legal reform programs at The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She graduated cum laude from the University of Naples Law School and holds an M.A. in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action from the University of Siena, Italy, and an LL.M. with distinction in International Legal Studies from Georgetown University Law Center. She speaks Italian.
Nour Elashmawy
Analyst
Nour Elashmawy is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. She currently supports the research on labor laws and regulations. Nour joined the team in July 2024. Before joining the team, she worked as a Consultant for the World Bank’s Development Economics Research Group (DECRG). Prior to joining the World Bank, Nour worked on Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Egypt and then she joined the Egyptian Competition Authority. She also consulted for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the International Labor Organization (ILO). She holds an MSc in Applied Development Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a BSc in Economics from Cairo University and Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is a native Arabic speaker, and fluent in English and French.
Mahmoud Elsaman
Analyst
Mahmoud Elsaman is an Analyst with the Women, Business and the Law project. His current research focuses on family law, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion. Previously, he served as a judge at the Egyptian State Council and worked at the International Development Law Organization in Italy and a leading corporate law firm in Egypt. Mahmoud holds a Bachelor of Laws degree with honors from Cairo University Faculty of Law in Egypt. He also holds an LL.M degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in International and Comparative Law, and an LL.M degree in Rule of Law for Development from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Currently, Mahmoud is pursuing his SJD (Ph.D.) degree at Central European University in Austria. He is a native Arabic speaker.
Aylén Rodríguez Ferrari
Analyst
Aylén is an analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. Her current responsibilities include legal and policy research on labor laws, particularly on non-discrimination, equal pay, parenthood, and pension. She joined the team in May 2023. Before joining WBL, she worked as a Social Protection and Jobs consultant for different World Bank units. Her professional journey spans across the Latin American and the Caribbean and Europe and Central Asia regions. Aylén holds a Master’s in Public Policy from The George Washington University through the Fulbright Scholarship Program, a Master’s in Microfinance from the Autónoma University of Madrid, and a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Almería. She speaks Spanish, English, and French.
Luiza Ferraz di Ricco
Analyst
Luiza Ferraz di Ricco is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. Her current responsibilities include regulatory and policy research around access, public finance, and quality of childcare services across 190 countries. Her regional expertise includes Latin America and Portuguese-speaking countries. Luiza joined the team in May 2022. Before that, she provided integrity due diligence services for the IFC and developed tax strategies for Deloitte Brazil. She holds a Master of Science in International Relations and Business from American University in Washington DC. She speaks Portuguese, English, Spanish and is conversational in French.
Emilia Galiano
Senior Private Sector Development Specialist
Emilia Galiano is a Senior Private Sector Development Specialist of the Women, Business and the Law project. She leads the activities around data quality and integrity. She also she assists with team supervision and the dissemination of the annual report. Emilia joined the team in January 2021. Before joining, she employed her task management and team leadership skills in different projects, ranging from knowledge management to public procurement. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Political Economy from Bologna University and a Master's Degree in International Relations from John Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies. She is fluent in Italian and German, conversational in Spanish.
Mariam Anaïs Gnakra
Analyst
Mariam is an Analyst with the Women, Business, and the Law project. She conducts legal research and policy analysis for the safety indicator. She has also worked extensively on research related to women's legal capacity regarding freedom of movement, marriage, property rights, and entrepreneurship. Before joining the team in May 2022, Mariam supported the Legal Vice Presidency of the World Bank in drafting a report documenting the legal consequences of COVID-19. Her work focused on the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women and people of African descent. Mariam holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Human Rights, with honors, from The George Washington University Law School. She is fluent in French and English.
Héloïse Groussard
Analyst
Héloïse Groussard is an Analyst with the Women, Business and the Law project, where she contributes to research on women’s legal capacity in areas such as freedom of movement, marriage and property rights, and entrepreneurship. She co-leads the development and distribution of WBL questionnaires and provides support for data analysis and dissemination efforts. Héloïse joined the project in August 2022. Prior to this, she worked on gender and diversity issues at a women’s shelter in São Paulo, at the law firm Pogust Goodhead, and with the Pan American Health Organization. She holds a master’s degree in International Public Law, specializing in International Administration, from Panthéon-Assas University. During her undergraduate studies in law, she attended USP (Universidade de São Paulo) Law School. A native French speaker, Héloïse is fluent in Portuguese, proficient in Spanish, and beginner in German.
Alev Gurbuz Cuneo
Economist
Alev Gurbuz Cuneo is an Economist of the Women, Business and the Law project. She conducts research on the implementation of laws benchmarked by the WBL project. Alev joined the team in May 2023. Before joining the team, she worked at Africa Region Gender Innovation Lab at the World Bank where she conducted impact evaluations of the economic interventions aiming to increase women’s empowerment in Africa region. Her research focused on gender, socio-emotional skills, gender-based violence, mental health, labor, and financial inclusion. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Georgetown University and a Master of Arts degree in Economics from New York University as a Fulbright Scholar. She is a native Turkish speaker.
Viktoria Khaitina
Analyst
Viktoria Khaitina is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. Viktoria leads the team’s contributor management relations. She currently conducts research and analysis related to the new conceptual framework around childcare policies. Viktoria joined the team January 2017. Before joining the team, she worked with the Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development team at the WBG Legal Vice Presidency. Before joining the World Bank, Viktoria worked at an international law firm, where she advised businesses on investment, finance, and trade matters. Viktoria holds degrees from the Belarusian State University (LL.B (Hons), LL.M (Hons) in International Business Law), Certificate in Public Administration from the Swedish Institute of Public Administration and American University Washington College of Law (H.H. Fellowship Program). She is a native Belarusian and Russian speaker.
Lolita Laperle-Forget
Analyst
Lolita Laperle-Forget is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project, whose current work focuses on piloting a WBL subnational analysis in Nigeria. As part of the WBL team, she led regulatory and policy research on legal instruments supporting women’s participation in trade and global value chains. Lolita joined the team in January 2023. Prior to joining the World Bank, she worked at the World Trade Organization as a trade and gender officer where she promoted gender-responsive trade policies through training, legal research and tools mapping and analyzing gender provisions in free trade agreements. She holds an LL.M. in international law and a law degree from the University of Sherbrooke, Canada. Lolita speaks French and English and is conversational in Spanish.
Gabriela Marzonetto
Analyst
Gabriela Marzonetto is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project, and she works as specialist in the Childcare team. Gabriela joined the Women, Business and the Law team in July 2024. Before joining the team, Gabriela was a visiting fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, previously she worked as postdoctoral researcher on social protection and childcare policies in the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) in Argentina, and as consultant for international organizations on Early Childhood Education and Care Policies. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Universidad Nacional de San Martin, and a M.A in Development Management and Policy from Georgetown University. She is co-chair of the Carework Network. She speaks Spanish and English.
Natália Mazoni
Private Sector Specialist
Natália Mazoni is a Private Sector Specialist with Women, Business and the Law. She leads research or labor and employment and manages the corresponding topics on workplace, pay, parenthood and pension. Natalia joined the World Bank Group in February 2016. Before joining the World Bank Group, she developed business strategies at EY Brazil and practiced at a law firm in Belo Horizonte. She holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in International Legal Studies from American University Washington College of Law in Washington, DC, and a law degree from Faculdades Milton Campos in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She is a member of the Brazilian Bar. Originally from Brazil, she speaks Portuguese and is conversant in Spanish and French.
Ana Mikadze
Junior Professional Associate
Ana Mikadze is a Junior Professional Associate with the Women, Business and the Law project at the World Bank Group. She contributes to data collection, analysis, coding, and literature reviews focused on labor laws and policies. Ana joined the team in December 2024. Prior to this role, Ana worked on public opinion research and managed initiatives to promote democratic engagement and economic empowerment for underrepresented groups through USAID-funded programs. Ana holds a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in data analytics from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, where she was a Fulbright Scholar. She is fluent in Georgian, English, and Russian.
Hannelore Niesten
Analyst
Hannelore Niesten is an Analyst of the Women, Business, and the Law project and works for other World Bank teams (Digital Development and Governance). She also works on various tax and legal projects for the International Center for Tax and Development, the Asian Development Bank, and a Belgian development policy institute. Hannelore joined the Women, Business, and the Law team in July 2021. Before joining the team, Hannelore practiced tax law at a Brussels-based law firm for several years and was a Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholar at Georgetown Law School and the University of Florida specializing in tax law. Hannelore holds a PhD in Law from Maastricht University, an LLM in Business and Finance law from George Washington University, Advanced Masters in Tax Law and Notary Law from the Catholic University of Louvain, and Masters in Globalization and Law and European Law from Maastricht University. Hannelore is a qualified lawyer at the Brussels Bar. Hannelore speaks Dutch, English, and French.
Saman Rejali
Analyst
Saman is an analyst with the Women, Business and the Law project, where she helps advance cross-sector partnerships, fundraising, strategic outreach, and government engagements. She joined the World Bank Group in January 2024, and consults for the World Bank’s Europe and Central Asia Gender Innovation Lab and Gender Group. Through the Gender Group, Saman has supported shaping and implementing the organization’s gender strategy while advancing initiatives in women’s leadership and gender partnerships. Before her work with the World Bank, Saman served as Senior Advisor to Canada’s Ambassador for Women, Peace, and Security and as Senior Gender Advisor for Global Affairs Canada’s Peace and Stabilization Operations Program. Earlier in her career, she was a legal and policy advisor at the International Committee of the Red Cross, where she focused on humanitarian diplomacy, policy outreach, gender equality, and international law. Saman holds an honors bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in international development, with a specialization in gender and international law, from the Graduate Institute in Geneva. She is fluent in English and Farsi and speaks conversational French.
Audur Inga Runarsdottir
Junior Professional Officer
Audur Inga Runarsdottir (Inga) is a Junior Professional Officer with the Women, Business and the Law project. Before joining the WBL team in April 2024, Inga worked at the University of Iceland, managing an EU-funded project on Research and Innovation collaboration between 10 European Universities. For the past three years, Inga has also been teaching a course on European Integration at the University of Iceland. Her former experience includes trade analysis for the European Free Trade Association, and research for LSE IDEAS, a foreign policy think tank in London, UK. Inga obtained an MA degree in International Economic Policy from Sciences Po Paris in 2018, and an MSc degree in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics in 2019. Her research focus was on feminist economics and gender in free trade agreements. She is a board member of the Icelandic Women's Budget Group. She is fluent in Icelandic, English, and Danish, and proficient in Swedish, German, Spanish, and French.
Fabiola Saavedra Caballero
Analyst
Fabiola Saavedra Caballero is an Analyst for the Women, Business and the Law project, where she contributes to research and data analysis on expert opinions and individuals’ perceptions of laws and regulations affecting women's economic opportunities worldwide. Before joining the team in November 2024, Fabiola worked as a consultant for the Labor Markets and Education divisions at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington D.C., and the Ministry of Development Planning in Bolivia. She also served as Assistant Professor in the School of Economics and Finance at EAFIT University, Colombia. Her research interests include the transition from higher education to the labor market, skills development, the impacts of public policies, and the evaluation of social protection programs. A Bolivian national, Fabiola holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universidad Católica Boliviana, a Master’s degree in Economics from EAFIT University in Colombia, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. She’s a native Spanish speaker and fluent in English.
Alena Sakhonchik
Private Sector Development Specialist
Alena Sakhonchik is a Private Sector Specialist at the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law project, where she currently leads research on regulatory and policy gaps around access, public finance, and quality of childcare services across 190 countries around the world. Alena stood at the grassroots of the WBL index creation and the development of the two indicators – on Childcare and Pensions. After joining the World Bank in 2014, Alena has also been providing technical support to country projects focusing on broader sustainable and inclusive private sector development. Prior to joining the World Bank, Alena held research and consulting positions in the private sector and research institutions, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Hudson Institute. Alena holds a M.A. in International Economic Relations from American University in Washington DC.
Camelia Saranciuc
Analyst
Camelia is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. She is working on the Safety indicator, assisting with data collection, legal research and analysis. She is also involved in the survey generation and testing, and supports the team with Russian translations. Camelia worked in the WBL project from May 2022 to June 2023, and rejoined in October 2024. Before joining the team, she was a Finance Intern at the Australian Shareholders’ Association and Research Assistant in Accounting and Sustainability at HEC Lausanne. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management from the University of Strasbourg, France, and a Master’s degree in Management with an orientation in Business Analytics from HEC Lausanne, Switzerland. She speaks English, French, Russian, Romanian, and is learning Italian and German.
Liang Shen
Analyst
Liang Shen is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. Her current research interests include family leave policies, workplace discrimination, financial inclusion, and the interplay between gender and climate change. Liang joined the team in September 2020. Before joining the World Bank Group, Liang conducted analysis on tax policies and economic trends in the New York State government. She holds a Master of Science in Economics from Bocconi University and a Master of Public Administration from the State University of New York at Albany. She speaks Mandarin Chinese and is learning French.
Consuelo Jurado Tan
Program Assistant
Consuelo J. Tan is a World Bank retiree and has been a part of the Women, Business and the Law team since October 2019. She supports the team with administrative as well as budget matters. She also provides logistical support to the entire team. She was formerly a Senior Executive Assistant at the IFC, supporting the office of the EVP and Managing Director from 1999-2005. Before her retirement, she worked as a Program Analyst for the IFC’s Access to Finance unit from 2005-2010. She holds a degree in Business Administration and speaks Tagalog.
Ana Tribin
Senior Economist
Ana Tribin is a Senior Economist at the World Bank. She joined the team in July 2023. Previously, she worked at the UNDP as a public policy specialist and leader of the gender team. She also held positions at the Colombian Central Bank as a Senior Research Economist and as the President's National Advisor for Women's Equality within the Colombian Government. Ana holds a master's and a Ph.D. in economics from Brown University. Her research areas include gender, migration, and development economics. Ana has authored several papers published in international books and journals, and she has also served as a book editor. She is fluent in both Spanish and English.
Martha Verner
Analyst
Martha is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law (WBL) project. She conducts research on legislation impacting women’s economic empowerment (for WBL indicators), specifically in relation to labor and employment legislation. She also contributes to survey development, data collection and analysis. Martha joined the team in November 2024. Before joining the Women, Business and the Law team, Martha worked as a lawyer at Bird & Bird in Paris, France, specializing in labor law and international mobility—areas that were the focus of her thesis and research publications. She holds a PhD in Law from the University of Montpellier I, France, as well as a master’s degree in labor law from the same institution. Additionally, she earned a master’s degree in international and comparative law through a joint program between Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico, and the University Jean Moulin Lyon III, France. Originally from France, she speaks French, English and Spanish.
Nayantara Vohra
Analyst
Nayantara Vohra is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. She conducts research on violence against women and WBL’s new Safety Indicator. She also supports the Contributor Management team. Nayantara joined the team in June 2021. Before joining the team, she practiced law in India for over four years. She worked for the World Bank’s Data and Evidence for Judicial Reform (DE JURE) program. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Delhi, India. She speaks Hindi and Bengali.
Siyi Wang
Analyst
Siyi Wang is an Analyst with the Women, Business and the Law (WBL) project. She leads the development and distribution of WBL questionnaires, conducts legal research and policy analysis for the Safety indicator, and supports data management efforts. Siyi joined the WBL team in June 2019. Prior to her role at the World Bank, she worked with the Financial Institutions Group of the International Finance Corporation, focusing on China’s financial inclusion program. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy and a Master’s degree in Simultaneous Interpretation from the Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation at Beijing Foreign Studies University. Siyi is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and she speaks Chinese.
Lara Wanna
Analyst
Lara Wanna is an Analyst on the Women, Business and the Law project. Lara joined the Women, Business and the Law team in January 2021 and supports the childcare indicator. Prior to WBL, she worked with the Subnational Doing Business project in the UAE and worked as an internal legal consultant in D.C. Lara is a Beirut Bar licensed attorney with over six years of experience working in corporate and civil law in the MENA region. She has advised and represented government and private sector stakeholders, worked on drafting legal policies and regulations for Expo Dubai 2020 and policy implementation for the UN Refugee Nations in Lebanon. Lara is a member of the New York State Bar. She holds a Master of Law Degree from The Lebanese University and an L.L.M Degree from The George Washington University specializing in business and finance Law. She is fluent in Arabic.
Yue (Sophie) Xi
Analyst
Sophie Yue Xi is an Analyst of the Women, Business and the Law project. She is currently supporting data collection and legal research on family laws. Sophie joined the team in June 2023 and was an intern during the summer of 2022. Before joining the team, she worked at news agencies and contributed to several research projects. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in International Relations and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs. She is native in Chinese (Mandarin) and conversationally fluent in French.
Hikaru Yamagashi
Economist
Hikaru Yamagashi is an Economist with the Women, Business and the Law project. Prior to joining the team in April 2024, Hikaru conducted research in political economy and comparative politics at Stanford University and Harvard University as a postdoctoral fellow and at Yale University as a graduate student. Her work on political representation, gender, and electoral politics has been published in top peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. A Japanese national, she holds a bachelor’s degree in government and Asian and Middle Eastern studies from Dartmouth College, an M.A. in East Asian studies from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in political science from Yale University.