global gender equality conference design
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We support organizations by asking the hard questions, creating meaning and ensuring social impact teams understand how to make their data useful while prioritizing collaboration, clarity, and accountability to the communities they serve. Our work combines monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning with facilitation and systems thinking to help teams understand what is working, where implementation challenges emerge, and how programs can adapt. Across sectors and geographies, we focus on developing clear and digestible recommendations that strengthen decision-making and long-term impact.
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Our approach blends rigorous evaluation methods with collaborative learning processes. We design research and facilitation strategies that transfer internal knowledge into a competitive advantage, working across stakeholders at all levels, including policymakers and leadership to implementers and communities. This ensures that findings are not only technically sound, but also relevant and utilization-focused for effective decision-making.
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We partner with community-based organizations, public entities, international organizations, nonprofits, and cross-sector initiatives addressing complex systems challenges. Engagements have included work with government ministries, state agencies, multilateral programs, and local partners across climate, health, energy, governance, economic empowerment, market systems development, equity analysis, and social services.
engagement snapshot
Supported the design and facilitation of interactive learning sessions for a global gender equality conference, including participatory engagement formats, staff care workshops, and a conference-wide learning assessment to capture practitioner feedback and recommendations for future programming.
Program Size: ~65 participants across interdisciplinary teams
Format: Strategic facilitation, team retreats, and evaluation framework development
Focus: Organizational learning and evaluation system development
Context: Organizational development initiative
Outputs: Evaluation team mission and vision, work plan, performance indicators, learning discussions
engagement overview
Client ContextA global conference was convened to bring together staff working on gender equality initiatives across multiple regions, along with partners from the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and research institutions.
The event aimed to share experiences of lessons learned from implementation activities, create space for shared learning, discussion of emerging challenges, and collaboration around future priorities. A unique opportunity was also present during conference design and scoping for reflection and dialogue among participants working on complex and often sensitive issues.
The ChallengeLarge conferences often rely heavily on presentations, leaving limited opportunity for meaningful engagement and learning among participants. Conference organizers wanted to design an event that encouraged active participation and supported learning across regions and sectors. At the same time, the conference addressed topics that can be emotionally demanding for practitioners, including gender-based violence and work in fragile or conflict-affected environments.
Creating a structure that offered opportunities for reflection and support was therefore an important consideration. The conference design and agenda development therefore required a delicate symmetry of technical discussions with opportunities for staff care.
Role & ContributionsI supported several elements of the conference design, focusing on how participants would engage with one another throughout the event. My contributions included supporting the development of sessions focused on evaluation, gender and social inclusion, and learning design. These sessions aimed to move beyond presentations toward more interactive formats.
To encourage broader participation, I co-designed and facilitated a gallery walk that allowed participants to explore themes emerging across different programs and regions. The format created space for informal discussion and exchange among participants representing different sectors.
Recognizing the emotional demands of the subject matter, I also designed and facilitated staff care workshops that provided participants with opportunities for reflection and restoration. These sessions incorporated accessible activities such as guided movement, breathing exercises, creative expression through art and music, and discussion of psychosocial support strategies.
In addition, I led the conference learning assessment, designing a process to capture participant feedback throughout the event using interactive methods such as live polling, experiential learning checkpoints, and qualitative reflection exercises.
ResultsThe conference generated a high level of engagement across participants and sectors. Interactive formats allowed attendees to exchange experiences and discuss common challenges in ways that traditional conference formats often limit.
Feedback collected during the event also produced a set of recommendations related to gender and social inclusion practices and future program engagement.
Strategic ImpactConferences are often treated primarily as venues for information sharing. When designed thoughtfully, they can also create space for dialogue, reflection, and professional support among practitioners working in challenging environments.
This engagement demonstrated how intentional learning design can help large convenings foster deeper participation and meaningful exchange among diverse participants.
“christine has a ton of technical expertise when it comes to organizing events and activities that foster meaningful collaboration and knowledge exchange. she’s got the management savviness to engage stakeholders and colleagues in planning and execution. i’m a big fan!”
— Michael H. Weinraub, Senior Design StrategistGet in Touch
Whether you have a question, an idea, or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out. We look forward to getting in touch within one to two business days.