The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
Our affiliated professors are based at over 120 universities and conduct randomized evaluations around the world to design, evaluate, and improve programs and policies aimed at reducing poverty. They set their own research agendas, raise funds to support their evaluations, and work with J-PAL staff on research, policy outreach, and training.
Our research, policy, and training work is fundamentally better when it is informed by a broad range of perspectives.
Policy Manager, J-PAL Africa
Karis Neufeld is a Policy Manager at J-PAL Africa working to increase access to and use of water treatment products. She collaborates with researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to integrate evidence-based strategies into programming for sustainable impact.
Prior to joining J-PAL in 2025, she worked as a consultant for the World Bank providing quantitative data analysis and policy writing to inform social development projects in Africa. She has experience working internationally as a scholar and practitioner in the areas of migration, education, and public health in Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Chad, and Burkina Faso.
Karis holds an MA in Political Science from The Ohio State University and a BA in Economics and International Studies from Indiana University.