Mary Beth Desrosiers joined the GHD program with three years of experience in international development. Prior to Georgetown, she worked at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) as a Research Analyst for the South and Southeast Asia program, as well as Deputy Project Manager for USTDA’s Research and Analysis contract. In these roles, Mary Beth worked with U.S. private sector companies and government agencies overseas to create sustainable and bankable infrastructure projects, including waste-to-energy facilities in the Philippines and smart city applications in Vietnam. Mary Beth received her B.A. from the University of Virginia where she graduated with degrees in both International Economics and Foreign Affairs.

As a GHD student, Mary Beth is completing a self-designed specialization in Urban Development and Environmental Sustainability. With this specialization, she has focused her studies on urban challenges in developing countries and their interaction with environmental sustainability. Her academic research has covered urban waste management in Myanmar, water access for low-income communities in Kenya, and affordable housing challenges in Johannesburg and Kigali.

Since beginning her master’s program, Mary Beth has held positions as an Enterprise and Community Development Intern with PYXERA Global, a Qualitative Research Analyst with Social Impact, and an Impact Evaluation Intern with the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab. Through the roles, she has developed her experience in project design and strategy, project management, and both qualitative and quantitative research methods.