John Mathiason, PhDCo-founder and Chairman
- Results-based planning and management
- In-depth evaluations
- Evaluation quality assurance
- Ph.D. in Political Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, summa cum laude, from St. Olaf College
Dr. John Mathiason (PhD, MIT) has over 50 years of experience in improving the workings of the international public sector. Drawing on a 30-year career with the United Nations, John has worked extensively on organizational reforms, planning and evaluation. He has led evaluation for the FAO, ILO, Sida, UNDG, UNFPA, UNCCD, WMO, UNODC, the IAEA and UNOIOS. He currently teaches strategic planning and evaluation at the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs of Cornell University.
Dr. Mathiason has worked in and for the United Nations system for over 54 years, starting as an expert in evaluation of social aspects of agrarian reform in Venezuela then advancing over a twenty-five year career in different posts completing service as the Deputy Director of United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women. On his retirement he started Associates for International Management Service (AIMS) to help fill a gap in independent advisory services available to the UN system. Almost twenty years later, the name has changed to DeftEdge but the mission to help support the international public sector remains the same.
A specialist in results-based management including evaluation, John has provided consulting, evaluation and training services to a large number of international organizations in all regions, including UNDG, UNODC, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNCCD, FAO, WHO, ILO, Sida, IAEA, and UNOIOS. He also teaches masters level courses on international public administration, evaluation of international programs and projects and international human rights at the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs of Cornell University. He has published frequently on issues of global governance, including authoring the book, Invisible Governance: International Secretariats in Global Politics. He has a PhD in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and works in 5 different languages: English, Spanish, French, Portugese and German.
Favorite language: UNese.
Favorite leisure activity: March madness, World cup soccer
Favorite city: The one hosting a UN or intergovernmental conference.