Marie has over 15 years’ experience managing operational and research projects with a development focus and her publications cover areas including evaluation of conditional and unconditional cash transfer programs, evaluation in fragile and conflict-affected states, the institutionalization of government evaluation, and the use of evidence in decision-making.

Prior to joining IEG, Marie Gaarder was the Director of Evaluation in the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), and Deputy Executive Director of the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, 3ie, responsible for the impact evaluation programs, the promotion of evidence-based development policies and systematic reviews, and more generally assisting the Executive Director in building the newly created organization. Prior to joining 3ie, she worked as a Senior Social Development Economist at the Inter-American Development Bank, specializing in social protection and health programs in Central America.

Marie is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Development Coordinating Group (IDCG) within the Campbell Collaboration and a member of the Research Ethics Review Committee of the Partnership for Economic Policy, PEP.

Marie holds a Ph.D. in Economics from University College London.