Nilhari NEUPANE, PhD

Applied economist and program-evaluation leader with 15+ years of experience leading climate resilience, water resources, agriculture, public-sector planning, economic appraisal, stakeholder engagement, and multidisciplinary research. Proven record translating complex environmental and socioeconomic evidence into implementable strategies, monitoring frameworks, funding decisions, and policy recommendations.

Experience spans California Tribal health programs, World Bank infrastructure appraisal, international water management, national adaptation planning, and community-based flood resilience.

Program Evaluator - California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB) - California

(2025-04)

• Lead performance measurement and evaluation for Tribal health prevention programs, developing logic models, goals, indicators, reporting frameworks, and flexible data models that strengthen program quality and strategic decisions.
• Manage quantitative, financial, and statistical analysis across multiple data sources; resolve data-quality issues and produce dashboards, performance tools, portfolio reviews, and funder reports.
• Partner with Tribes, program leaders, and technical specialists; communicate complex results through executive briefings, tailored technical assistance, and training while respecting Tribal priorities and data governance.

Consultant Economist - World Bank - Nepal

(2024-09 - 2025-02)

• Led economic appraisal and cost-benefit analysis for the Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project III, comparing investment and baseline scenarios and testing sensitivity to emissions and socioeconomic constraints.
• Developed monitoring and evaluation indicators, assessed implementation risks, and delivered actionable recommendations to the World Bank and Government of Nepal.

Development Economist - International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

(2022-10 - 2024-08)

• Coordinated field implementation and socioeconomic analysis for a multi-country sustainable intensification initiative; designed methods and tools for piloting, monitoring, evaluation, and scaling climate-smart mixed farming systems.
• Led participatory research with government, research, and community partners; mentored early-career staff and represented the program in national and international policy and science forums.

Resilient Agriculture Specialist - Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, World Bank-funded CARE Project

(2022-02 - 2022-10)

• Supported provincial and local governments in developing climate-resilient agriculture policies and implementation guidance aligned with national climate and agriculture strategies.
• Conducted cost-benefit analysis and monitoring and evaluation of climate-smart interventions against baselines and comparison groups.

Socio-economist - ICIMOD - Upper Koshi Basin Program

(2021-04 - 2022-01)

• Analyzed farming systems, livelihoods, and vulnerability across a transboundary river basin; identified priority communities and developed and piloted integrated resilience packages.
• Prepared policy briefs and translated community and quantitative evidence for government and development stakeholders.

Socio-economist - Oxford Policy Management - Nepal National Adaptation Plan

(2020-03 - 2021-03)

• Developed socioeconomic trends and scenarios for the national Vulnerability and Risk Assessment, integrating farming and livelihood attributes into the dynamic assessment model and identifying adaptation options with government partners.

Socio-economist - ICIMOD - Community-Based Flood Early Warning Systems

(2020-09 - 2021-06)

• Evaluated institutional, financial, and community sustainability of flood early-warning systems through focus groups and consultations with local and provincial governments; recommended scaling strategies.

Socio-economic Analyst / Researcher - ICIMOD

(2014-01 - 2020-12)

• Led research design, field engagement, socioeconomic and vulnerability analysis, and policy-gap assessment for climate, water, agriculture, livelihoods, and food-water-energy nexus programs.
• Operationalized catchment-level Water Use Master Plans and contributed to climate-resilience research with government and international scientific partners.

Carlo Schmid Fellow - United Nations World Food Programme - Kenya

(2011-10 - 2013-09)

• Supported design, monitoring, and evaluation of home-grown school meals and prepared program evidence and reports.

District Project Coordinator - Poverty Alleviation Fund - Nepal

(2005-01 - 2007-04)

• Coordinated community-based agricultural livelihood projects, stakeholder needs assessment, proposal development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

PhD - Applied Economics - Justus Liebig University (2011 - 2011)

MA - Rural Development - Tribhuvan University (2004 - 2004)

BSc - Agricultural Economics - Tribhuvan University (2001 - 2001)