Olena Besedina

Ph.D., Assistant Professor | KSE/KEI

Senior Economist

Olena Besedina is a Senior Researcher at KEI and Objective Coordinator of the USAID Leadership in Economic Governance (LEV) Program. Olena is also an Assistant Professor at Kyiv School of Economics.

Received her Ph.D. in Economics at Bocconi University in 2008 and Master’s degree in Public Administration and International Development at Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (now Harvard Kennedy School), in 2003. She was a recipient of Joint Japan and World Bank scholarship that was used to finance her studies at Kennedy School of Government.

Olena’s focus is on policy-relevant research and analysis as well as teaching: she teaches courses on policy analysis and policy making at the two-year program and short-term programs. She also serves as a short-term consultant for the World Bank.