Margaret van Wassenaer serves as Director of Research Strategy and Programs at Portulans Institute. She is the Project Manager and Researcher for the Portulans Democracy Project, contributing to research on democratic innovation, institutional resilience, and the role of emerging technologies in shaping governance worldwide. She also manages the day-to-day coordination between Portulans Institute and INSEAD for the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI).
Previously focused on global development and sustainability, Margaret has managed large, multi-country initiatives with organizations including RTI International, CARE USA, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), and Cornell University, advancing evidence-based policy and systems-level change across sectors. She has also lectured at Cornell University, held consultancies with the World Bank and the United Nations, published case studies on international SMEs, and worked extensively across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Her work combines rigorous research with strategic collaboration to identify, evaluate, and scale innovative approaches to complex global challenges. Margaret holds a Master of Public Administration from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Genetics and International Studies from the State University of New York at Fredonia. She is committed to applying research and emerging technologies to build more inclusive, transparent, and resilient democracies.
