"Evaluation was not a career option when I started; there were no courses, no guidance. I had to teach myself. But today, evaluation is key—not just for accountability, but for learning. It’s about showing what works, what doesn’t, and why.” 

Meet Ana Rosa Soares, Senior Strategic Advisor and Strategic Plan Chief Evaluator at the Independent Evaluation Office, UNDP. With nearly two decades at the UNDP, Ana Rosa has navigated the challenges of cultural biases, carved a path as a minority woman in leadership, and developed groundbreaking evaluation methodologies. From her early days in monitoring and development to evaluating UNDP's Strategic Plans, Ana Rosa shares insights on resilience, the importance of adaptability, and how evaluation drives impactful change.