People - Institute for Business & Social Impact

The Institute benefits from the experience of our leadership, focused on tangible results in the academic, public, and private sectors.

Our Staff

Paul Gertler

Faculty Director

Paul Gertler is the Li Ka Shing Professor of Economics at Haas and scientific director for the Center for Effective Global Action. He’s an expert on impact evaluation, acting as principal investigator on large, multisite evaluations of programs to fight poverty and improve healthcare in Mexico, Rwanda, and around the world. He also served as the chief economist of the Human Development Network of the World Bank from 2004 to 2007. He has been a member of the Haas faculty since 1996, and holds a PhD in economics from the University of Wisconsin.

Adam Ross

Executive Director

Adam Jason Ross is the Executive Director of the Institute for Business and Social Impact at Haas School of Business. He previously worked in a senior role at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, served as an economist at the World Bank and was the founding vice president of AYUDA Inc. (American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad). Adam holds a master’s degree in international development (MPAID) from the Harvard Kennedy School and a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurial management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Laura Chioda

Director of Research

Laura Chioda is the Director of Research at the Institute for Business and Social Impact (IBSI), at the University of California, Berkeley. In collaboration with faculty, she is responsible for formulating and developing research programs for IBSI’s strategic priorities.

Cynthia Okita

Program Coordinator

Cynthia Okita is the Program Coordinator at the Institute for Business and Social Impact at the University of California, Berkeley. In this role, she works with IBSI’s leadership to support the various programs, centers and initiatives. Previously, Cynthia worked at Berkeley Research Group, a global consulting firm and at the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy, an interdisciplinary research group focused on the development and application of advanced technologies and the international economy. Cynthia graduated with highest honors and distinction in general scholarship from UC Berkeley.