Liz McGrath

As NRGI’s managing director, Liz is responsible for strengthening NRGI’s organizational effectiveness to increase impact and advance the organization’s mission. She leads the design and implementation of cross-functional processes including organizational goal setting, strategic planning and learning, annual budgeting, and organizational governance. Liz ensures that NRGI’s strategy and its implementation are informed by trends in related fields; a robust monitoring, evaluation and learning practice; and the expertise of key partners, advisors and experts. She acts as a bridge between the organization’s strategic and governance activities and its operations side, designing and implementing processes that ensure ownership, coherence and impact.

Prior to becoming managing director, Liz was NRGI’s research, data and learning director, supporting knowledge production and the effective translation of that knowledge into policy reform, through capacity development interventions and continuous learning and adaptation in program design.

Liz has worked on governance for over 15 years. Before joining NRGI in 2016 she served as the director of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and prior to that worked for Amnesty International U.K., the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office and national human rights organizations in Nigeria and Colombia.

Liz grew up in Ghana and holds a B.Sc. in economics and international development from the University of Bath and an M.A. in international development from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.