Veronica Dickson La Rotta joins GHD after two years at Global Integrity, a DC-based non-profit that works with civil society and government partners to tackle complex problems around anti-corruption, open governance, and transparency and accountability. She is interested in refining her skills to support locally-led development initiatives and aspires to a career where her contributions help build more fair, transparent and representative systems of governance. Born in Brazil to Colombian and Argentine parents, Veronica spent a decade living in Asia before completing her education in the United States. She holds a degree from Cornell University in Industrial and Labor Relations and a minor in China and Asia Pacific Studies. Upon graduation, she moved to China to work as a Princeton in Asia Fellow in the heart of rural Yunnan province, and subsequently moved to Hanoi to work in business development at GHC, a Vietnamese consulting firm. Veronica loves the outdoors and living in places where she can slip away into the woods with a sturdy backpack and a great book.

Summer Internship Experience

World Bank Poverty and Equity Global Practice for South Asia

This summer, I interned with the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Global Practice for South Asia based out of New Delhi. My primary role was to conduct research for a Systematic Country Diagnostic for Nepal, a report published every five years that tracks the development challenges and opportunities facing the country. I drew on academic and gray literature to produce research and thematic summaries on Nepal’s natural capital, governance, migration and remittances, and poverty trends. In addition, I supported the development of complementary dissemination and communication tools for policy and analytical products such as regional poverty profiles. I supported my colleagues in New Delhi and translated analytical data and reports into external-facing materials such as powerpoints and one-pagers.

My team was staffed by a range of development economists: macroeconomic experts, labor and gender-focused economists, and World Bank staff that had spent their career collaborating with the government to ensure policy interventions were targeting the most vulnerable. I was inspired by the depth of their knowledge and their practical approach to dealing with a complicated and politicized bureaucracy.

Why GHD?

GHD is a great blend between practical and skills-oriented coursework and thematic depth. All of the courses are steeped in the realities of working in the development sector, which makes each assignment, essay and group project deliverable a genuinely useful product. And you can’t beat the access to experienced faculty and DC orgs and networking opportunities!