About Us
When Musammat Badrunnesha arrived in Canada six years ago, she brought more than 15 years of global experience in education, gender equity, and community development — but, like many immigrant women of colour, she faced the challenge of finding a place where her skills could truly shine. From that journey came the Global Impact Network (GIN) — a consultancy she founded to empower women of colour and immigrant professionals while helping Canadian organizations design data-driven, inclusive, and equitable solutions.
A Brookings Institution Fellow and PhD student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Musammat has led international projects with the World Bank, British Council, and IRCC, and continues to champion evidence-based change that creates opportunity from lived experience.
“GIN was born from my own journey — to prove that data and empathy together can drive real social transformation.”
Our Vision
Our Mission
A world where communities thrive through evidence-informed solutions, and where immigrant and racialized women lead change with confidence, recognition, and purpose.
To connect evidence, policy, and people to create equitable systems and stronger communities — while advancing opportunities for underrepresented women professionals.
Our Values
🌱 Equity and Inclusion – We amplify diverse voices and design processes that center marginalized perspectives.
🤝 Collaboration – We believe solutions are strongest when communities, organizations, and policymakers work together.
💡 Learning and Reflection – We use data, stories, and evaluation to inspire continuous growth.
🌍 Integrity and Impact – We work with honesty and care, always guided by purpose, not profit.
OUR TEAM
Our growing team includes experienced educators, researchers, and program specialists who share a passion for equity and community impact.
The Founder's Story
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Musammat Badrunnesha
Founder & Principal Consultant
PhD in International Education, UMass Amherst (USA)
Over 20 years of experience in education, social justice, and community program development. Skilled in policy design, research, and cross-sector collaboration.
Turning Lived Experience into Data-Driven Impact
When Musammat Badrunnesha arrived in Canada six years ago, she carried with her more than 15 years of international experience in education, gender equity, and community development.
Yet, like many immigrant women of colour, she faced the challenge of transforming her achievements into meaningful opportunities in a new land.
Her turning point came when she earned a highly competitive fellowship at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. There, she deepened her research on gender equity and girls’ education — a journey that not only shaped her career, but ignited a calling: to create space for other women of colour whose talents too often go unseen.
That vision became the Global Impact Network (GIN) — a consultancy that connects data, equity, and lived experience to drive systemic change. Through GIN, Musammat empowers women of colour and immigrant professionals while helping Canadian organizations design inclusive, data-driven, and evidence-based solutions.
The Mission Behind GIN
GIN was born from one question: What if the very people facing barriers were the ones designing the solutions?
Musammat’s mission is to bridge opportunity gaps by supporting women and newcomers to lead in research, policy, and community innovation — proving that diversity is not just representation, but a catalyst for transformation.
Leadership & Global Work
Musammat is a data-driven policy leader and systems-change agent, known for her ability to turn complex community insights into measurable impact.
She has led and collaborated on initiatives funded by:
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World Bank
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British Council
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The Asia Foundation
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U.S. Department of State
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Today, she serves as Director of Programs & Community Services at Cecil Community Centre in Toronto, where she leads equity-focused program design, evaluation, and community research.
In 2018, Musammat was honoured as one of the world’s eight most impactful leaders in data-driven research, having presented her work at more than 18 international conferences worldwide.
Selected Publications & Contributions
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Improving the Quality of Girls’ Education in Madrasas in Bangladesh – Brookings Institution, 2015
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Coordinated the Home to Home: A Purposeful Journey-Toolkit for working with Refugee Youths – Access Alliance, 2019–2020
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Led Impact Evaluation Proposal for Seniors Digital Literacy Project – New Horizons for Seniors, 2024
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Led Needs Assessment Report: Multilingual Seniors’ Digital Literacy Gap – New Horizons for Seniors, 2024
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Completed (2024 – 2025): Consultant on LAAGA Case Study – Vietnam Girls’ Empowerment Research
Education
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PhD (in progress) – International Education & Policy Development, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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M.Ed. & B.Ed. – Ahsanullah University of Science & Technology
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MA & BA in Social Science – National University of Bangladesh
Her Vision
“Global Impact Network was born from my own journey — from navigating barriers to realizing that data, empathy, and inclusion are the real engines of change. My goal is to make sure every woman of colour, every newcomer with a dream, has the chance to lead and make impact — not from the margins, but from the centre.”
Christine Apiot Okudi
Consultant – Policy Development & Implementation
Over 20 years of experience in education, gender, and policy systems.
Maaheen Ahmed
Consultant – Research & Evaluation
Experienced in qualitative research, project design, and knowledge mobilization.
Services
At Global Impact Network Consulting, we specialize in helping organizations design, evaluate, and strengthen programs that make a difference.
🔹 Research & Evaluation
🔹 Program Design & Development
🔹 Policy Analysis & Strategy
We conduct community-based and participatory research, needs assessments, and program evaluations that generate actionable insights for decision-making and learning.
From concept to implementation, we help you co-create inclusive, evidence-informed programs that respond to real community needs.
We analyze and translate policy for impact — supporting organizations to align with emerging trends, advocate effectively, and design equitable systems.
🔹 Capacity Building & Training
We design and facilitate workshops, training, and learning sessions on equity-based evaluation, community engagement, and leadership development.
Special Focus
We bring an intersectional lens to all our work — addressing issues of gender, migration, equity, and education — and ensuring that programs and policies reflect the lived experiences of the communities they serve.