A/ProfKeren Winterford

Dr Winterford has more than 27 years work experience working in the international development sector, in multiple capacities with Managing Contractors, NGOs, as a private consultant, and more recently in development research. She currently provides research and consultancy services for numerous government and non-government agencies in the development sector.

Keren's areas of expertise include research design in partnership, particularly with NGOs; participatory research; facilitation and training; design, monitoring and evaluation; and strengths-based approaches to development. She has a passion for enabling change processes where individuals, groups and communities realise and draw on their own strengths and assets to create their vision to change. She co authored the book 'A strengths-based approach to development: Reframing aid' (Winterford et al 2023). The book sets out the strong theoretical and practical basis of a strengths-based approach; explores insight through the lens on power, culture and psychology; and provides examples of how the approach is already applied in practice within the project cycle, monitoring and evaluation, dominant current approaches and sectors of international development.

She has sectoral experience and expertise related to gender and social inclusion, citizen participation, governance and social accountability. Her PhD thesis is titled “A strengths perspective on social accountability: informing citizen and state action for improved services and development”.

Keren has conducted research, evaluation and programming activities with: World Vision; SNV; Engineers without Borders; ChildFund, WHO, Cambodia Development Research Institute; Leeds University; ACFID, Mission Australia; DFAT, Secretariat of the Pacific Community; UNDP, The Asia Foundation; International Institute for Environment and Development; FemLINK; IWDA; RDI Network; Caritas Australia; Act for Peace; SPC; and Plan International.

Keren has worked in more than 20 countries:

East Asia (Cambodia, China, East Timor, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam); South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan); Pacific Islands (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu); Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC], Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia); Indigenous Australia (Warlpiri Northern Territory, Western Desert Western Australia, Mornington Island, Queensland).

Keren also holds a PhD, University of Technology Sydney (2013); Master of International and Community Development, Deakin University, Melbourne (2001); and Bachelor of Economics (Social Science) Honours II, 1, Sydney University 1995