Veronika Talviste-Hershkowitz, PhD

Completed a novel manuscript and published long-form essays exploring sustainability, travel, human behavior, and systems change Explored applications of AI for research, writing, knowledge creation, and behavior change Developed an AI-assisted prototype focused on sustainable habit formation and behavioral change Completed Stanford Continuing Studies coursework as part of a broader learning sabbatical

Learning, Research & Program Strategy Led learning, innovation, and partner engagement across a portfolio of 14 projects involving 36 organizations in 15 countries, supporting adoption of new partnership approaches and facilitating cross-project learning. Drafted substantive contributions to the Fund Strategy, embedding principles of equitable access, human-centered design, locally-led action, and climate-resilient approaches. Co-developed Calls for Proposals that promoted a whole-of-society approach, strengthened participation of local actors, and aligned with program priorities. Served as a member of the Grant Facility Evaluation Committee, contributing to qualitative review, comparative assessment, and decision-support materials for leadership. Provided subject-matter guidance on forced displacement and development linkages, translating complex research findings into clear, strategic narratives for program and donor audiences. Acted as liaison between UNOPS and key partner organizations, supporting knowledge exchange, alignment, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Supported grantee partners through peer-to-peer learning facilitation, reflective exchanges, and capacity-strengthening dialogues. Designed and facilitated insight-gathering workshops and feedback loops with implementing partners and community stakeholders to surface pain points, map user journeys, and identify opportunity areas for program and service improvement.

Research synthesis, performance analysis, and qualitative insights reporting across a global operational program Synthesized field reports and qualitative feedback from 80+ international deployees to identify trends in user needs, operational pain points, and program outcomes. Conducted structured reviews, interviews, and performance assessments to generate evidence-based recommendations for senior leadership and donors. Produced analytical reports and insight summaries used by UNHCR and partner agencies to inform program design, policy alignment, and resource prioritization. Standardized reporting frameworks to improve data quality, comparability, and decision readiness across geographically diverse deployments. Supported recruitment and roster selection through behavioral interviews, competency assessments, and comparative candidate evaluations. Collaborated with cross-functional stakeholders (operations, HR, donor relations, policy teams) to ensure findings were actionable and strategically relevant.

Human-centered safety, risk perception, and policy research in high-stakes environments Led qualitative research and field assessments across 12+ countries to understand how individuals and communities experience risk, safety, rules, and enforcement systems, and how these shape behavior and decision-making. Designed and implemented research using in-depth interviews, contextual inquiries, participatory workshops, and community-based insight gathering to surface safety gaps and unintended harms. Translated complex qualitative findings into strategic guidance for senior leadership, shaping program policy on displacement, sexual violence prevention, and community safety. Developed global guidelines, analytical frameworks, and decision tools to ensure that policies and safeguards were usable, equitable, and grounded in real-world user behavior. Partnered with multidisciplinary stakeholders (legal, operations, policy, data teams) to align safety interventions with risk-mitigation, trust, and accessibility outcomes. Delivered internal trainings and capability-building programs to strengthen evidence-based decision-making, behavioral research, and ethical field methodology. Supported field through remote assistance and short missions to Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Georgia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda, Israel/OT.

Supervising and managing economic security programme in the country (food, non-food, seeds distributions, agricultural and veterinary projects, complementary feeding in detention, micro-economic projects) Carrying out monitoring missions and various assessments Managing a team of 30 persons and networking with authorities and WFP, UNICEF, FAO and various NGOs

Thesis: Displaced Adolescent Girls Protection: Could Casuistry Be a Methodology for Humanitarians?

Thesis: The Coping Strategies of Internally Displaced Persons: the Cases of Sudan and Colombia.

French Business Langage Certificate (Diplôme des Français des affaires 2ème degré).

Studies focused on social development, refugee and gender issues. Thesis: The Performance of the UNHCR and NGOs in International Humanitarian Crises: the Kosovo Refugee Emergency.