Meet our new Learning and Evaluation Manager!
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We’re glad to share that Ryan Goehrung will join the People Powered team as our new Learning and Evaluation Manager! He joins us through the prestigious Leading Edge Fellowship program by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), which matches recent PhD graduates with organizations advancing social justice and equity.
Ryan G. will help us understand, communicate, and grow the impact of our work to accelerate transitions to participatory democracy around the world. Learn more about him!
1. Tell us more about your experience and what draws you to participatory democracy.
My professional background is in international development. I have worked on community-based projects related to environmental conservation, public health, and gender equality in the Philippines, Rwanda, Honduras and elsewhere. I came away from these roles with a strong conviction that development initiatives need to be participatory to be effective. So working on participatory democracy more broadly is a natural segue and a goal that I am passionate about pursuing.
2. What do you think will be the most exciting part of your job at People Powered?
I’m thrilled to be joining a vibrant team of talented people committed to the shared goal of reinvigorating democracy. PhD research can be a lonely endeavor and often feels a bit removed from the real-world impacts, so it’s exciting to be working alongside other dedicated folks and putting my energy toward such a tangible goal.
3. Which piece of writing, music, or other media has inspired you the most?
Utopia for Idealists by Rutger Bregman is such a great read because of its optimism and creativity in imagining a better world while still being grounded in the practical realities of our current systems.
4. To what city/place have you traveled that you would most like to return and why?
I would love to return to Laos, especially Luang Prabang.
5. What languages do you speak?
In addition to my native English I am fluent in Tagalog (Filipino). I also speak survival Mandarin (Chinese).
