“GK Consulting led a multi-country mixed method evaluation for us, developing all the tools and coordinating the work of nine teams of consultants across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Gwen ensured all the data collectors were fully proficient using the tools and paid much attention to the quality and integrity of the data collected. We were delighted with her proactive role in this and with her constant availability to the team, responding to queries and trouble-shooting; always highly competent and combining solid experience with high conceptual ability. Gwen diplomatically and very effectively guided all the consultants to draw a robust analysis from the evidence gathered; her leadership was pivotal in achieving the required quality. The meta-analysis she carried out for us was also of very high quality and provided us with invaluable insights into our programme and relevant recommendations. Gwen fully captured what we were trying to achieve with the research and was very supportive throughout.”
“GK Consulting led us at Plan UK through a large and complex baseline study at the start of a girls’ education project. The fund manager and evaluation manager on the donor’s side were extremely specific about what they wanted versus what Plan UK was planning and Gwen and her team managed this impeccably. They were flexible where it was needed and diplomatically argued their corner when they felt that the quality of the work depended on it. Parameters changed many times during the course of the assignment and Gwen handled this with good humour and professionalism at all times. The result was a high quality piece of work and one of the best baselines we have had at Plan UK. So much so, that we recommended GK Consulting internally to colleagues who are now using them for another DFID funded evaluation. We will be contracting GK Consulting again for our mid and end line and will consider them for any other future new programme that arise.”
“You handled the inevitable logistical setbacks with aplomb … I observed your managerial style to be a skillful balance between providing specific instructions while allowing the research assistants to contribute their own knowledge and creativity to the work, thereby producing better research in the end… I saw your sharp presentation skills and ability to negotiate with government officials, even those quite senior…. Your sense of humor and passion for development make you a welcome colleague on any team”.
“This is a very useful analysis of this complex and difficult issue. The way that animal practice, Poro and Sande, and sacred beliefs in natural features are presented as worldviews alongside more widely recognised religions (such as Christianity) which also require implausible beliefs, is good in that it seems to give them respect and dignity. The use of straightforward, matter-of-fact language also makes it clear that there are no judgments or disparagements being cast…a very good report”
“In successfully completing the social part of the assessment… impressed me in several ways: Team Player and Initiative Taker – helped our team in many ways beyond her specific assignment; she provided country background, shared contacts from previous projects, arranged field logistics, helped others with their work, and generally cooperated well with myself and the other team members; Energetic and Diligent – brought tremendous energy to the project on both the field work and report writing components and kept it up until she had the data she needed and the report was thorough and well organized; Competent Researcher and Writer – knows where and how to find the information.. is very skilled and experienced at stakeholder consultation – comfortable and confident with villagers and bureaucrats alike, and in all types of forums… is also a very effective researcher of published academic and government sources, and actually likes doing literature searches.”
“We had a positive experience working with you on the Liberia project, and I was impressed by your commitment to quality research (in particular, your thoroughness and attention to detail came through through things like diligently tracing the origin of campaign t-shirts or climbing a tree to check a radio signal) and in a project like that, a willingness to work collaboratively and take on board suggestions/feedback was key”
“Thank you for this excellent work! We particularly like that you obtained detailed information and such a diverse sample… You have done a thorough and very informative job which makes our work that much easier.”
“You have brought together a lot of wonderful material, and I think this will be really valuable reading for many working on gender and more general development issues in Liberia. You have done a strong job of analyzing the data and drawing conclusions in many places… you do such a lucid but extremely rich job of presenting the findings.”
“Consistently demonstrates a profound talent for uniting social theory with human experience… demonstrated a natural affinity for the work of instruction and mentoring… Flexibility, capacity to work within complex institutions, and ability to move seamlessly between the worlds of theory and practice and to speak to the truths of human needs and human experience.. carries these commitments through in any endeavors undertaken”.