Our Team
We are a bespoke consulting company, committed to achieving social impact through quality design and evaluation. Our team come from diverse backgrounds and are experienced in multi-stakeholder engagement in remote and developing country settings.
Dr. Vijaya Joshi
Founder and Director
Vijaya is the Director and Founder of DESI Consulting and is passionate about inclusive program design and quality evaluation as a way of achieving lasting social impact and change .
This belief has been developed through 20+ years experience in international and domestic program management in the areas of health, education, and gender. Having worked in multiple complex settings, Vijaya brings lateral and empathetic thinking to her work with stakeholders.
DESI Consulting is a product of Vijaya's professional experience and personal background as a second generation Indian migrant in Australia. The name 'Desi' is based on her respect and acknowledgement of the historical and contextual factors that affect program design and implementation. It also articulates her key goals of quality Design and Evaluation, for Social Impact.
Prior to founding DESI Consulting, Vijaya worked as business manager at the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin, Australia. She has also held roles with Oxfam Australia, the United National Transitional Administration in East Timor, and the International Rescue Committee.
Vijaya has a PhD in Women's Studies from Clark University, Massachusetts, and a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact from the Melbourne Business School. She is a member of the Research Evaluation Committee of the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency, and a Board member of the East Timor Hearts Fund. Vijaya also holds membership of the Australasian Evaluation Society, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is an Honorary Fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research.
Vijaya speaks English, Marathi, and Tetum.
Diana Baker
Associate
Keryn Clark
Associate
Diana is an independent consultant with over 20 years’ experience analysing complex political, social and cultural environments in fragile and least developed countries. She is experienced in delivering high-level strategic advice shaping UN Security Council mandated political and peacekeeping missions, and Government policies in a range of governance areas.
She has conducted original and gender-responsive research, and led innovations in incorporating women’s voice and representation into peace and security processes. Diana has significant training experience in data collection and analytical skills to build institutional capacity to mitigate conflict risks.
Diana is also a skilled conflict mediator in building trust between stakeholders, local partners, women’s political organisations, and donors to establish mutual accountability platforms and strengthen monitoring and reporting systems on elections, security situations, and human rights.
Diana speaks English, Italian, and Tetum.
Sarah Moon
Associate
Keryn has extensive experience in design, gender, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL). Keryn is an experienced facilitator and partnership broker. She is a public health specialist, with a MSc in Global Health Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In 2016 Keryn was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to women and girls in Timor Leste.
Keryn has managed diverse teams including the DFAT funded M&E House in Timor-Leste, where she led a team that provided MEL support to the Australian Aid Program in Timor-Leste.
Keryn is accustomed to designing and utilizing a mixed method approach to evaluations, and is experienced in designing evaluation tools that engage programme participants. She has well developed analytical skills and has led reviews and evaluations which have provided evidence to inform future programme design. She is highly experienced in facilitating teams to translate evidence to learning and concrete recommendations.
Keryn speaks English, Portuguese, and Tetum.
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Iris Trapman
Associate
Sarah has over 20 years experience delivering capacity strengthening to improve public health management and systems. She has worked in Australia and internationally in a range of public health programs and tertiary institutions.
Sarah has expertise in public health program design, management and developing opportunities for applied and operational research. She is particularly skilled in cross cultural engagement and relationship brokering between multiple stakeholders in the field of health policy. Sarah has led and been part of several research activities that have informed public health policy development in the field of reproductive health and primary health care systems strengthening.
Sarah has worked as a public health manager and consultant in both complex least developed contexts and emergencies, for a range of organizations including Menzies School of Health Research, The World Bank, Australian Red Cross, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Health Alliance International, James Cook University, and Queensland Health.
Sarah speaks English, Tetum and Swedish.
Iris is a trained and experienced Cultural Anthropologist and Psychologist with 25 years working in Australia and internationally. She has expertise in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating (mental) health programs, training, strategic analysis, reflective practice, and debriefing for personnel working in challenging contexts.
Iris brings specific expertise in the fields of transcultural mental health (including refugee mental health), gender-based violence, trauma and crisis intervention, anxiety and depression, as well as case management, clinical ethics and counselling.
Iris has worked as a clinical practitioner consultant for a range of organisations, including Deakin University, Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Mandala Staff Support, Australian Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières-Australia, The Burnet Institute, and The Asia Foundation.
Iris has been honoured with an Australian Red Cross Award for her role in the Bali bombing tragedy. She is a registered psychologist, and member of the Australian Psychologist Society.
Iris speaks Dutch, English, French, German, and Spanish.