Heidi Zia | World Bank Institute (WBI)

The World Bank Institute (WBI) is a global connector of knowledge, learning and innovation for poverty reduction. We connect practitioners and institutions to help them find suitable solutions to their development challenges. With a focus on the "how" of reform, we link knowledge from around the world and scale up innovations. Read More »

Heidi Zia

WBI Alumni Network Program

Heidi Zia, a twenty five year veteran of the World Bank, is the team leader for the WBI Alumni Network Program. With an academic background in international economics and professional experience in impact evaluation, she has worked on over 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. 

She has extensive experience designing, conducting, and managing impact evaluation projects, and is an expert in conducting needs assessments and designing instruments to measure impact of learning interventions. Results of her evaluation studies have been used at WBI for policy revisions, program improvement and project development. She has led and authored several studies on the impact of learning activities in different regions and countries, including Yemen, Tajikistan, and Egypt.
Heidi has been recognized by colleagues as a “people person” with strong communications, team building and consensus building skills.

Favorite hobbies:  Going to the gym, travel, and spending time with friends and family.
Favorite place to visit: home, which is Iran.
Projects and Publications:
Review of WBI Delivery Partnerships
Impact Evaluation of New Managers’ Leadership Program – Phases I and II
The Effectiveness and Impact of WBI FY01-05 Activities:  Results from 25 Focus Countries
Non-formal Staff Learning in the World Bank
Impact Evaluation of WBI Sector and Thematic Programs in FY02-03:  Community Empowerment and Social Inclusion – CESI
An Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Outcomes of WBI FY01-03:  Results from 12 Focus Countries
The Impact of WBI Activities, FY02-03, on Participants from Yemen:  A Baseline Assessment
The Impact of WBI Activities, FY02-03, on Participants from Tajikistan:  A Baseline Assessment
The Impact of New Managers’ Leadership Program”, World Bank Institute Evaluation Studies, November 2004
Impact Evaluation of Managing a Country Office Learning Program
The Impact of WBI Activities, FY02-03, on Participants from Egypt:  A Baseline Assessment
Impact Evaluation of Communications as Power:  Listening, Inquiring and FeedbackImpact Evaluation of WBI Client Programs