Dr. Lorian Viola is a strategic development professional and global health researcher based in Pristina, Kosovo. With over 15 years of experience spanning international development, project management, and research across multiple continents, she specializes in program design, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based implementation. Currently serving as Senior Project Officer at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Dr. Viola brings expertise in managing complex portfolios, fostering cross-sectoral partnerships, and integrating sustainability practices into organizational operations. Her career reflects a commitment to advancing human rights, democratic governance, and community development in diverse international contexts.
EDUCATION
Dr. Viola holds a PhD in Global Health from Queen Margaret University, Scotland (2021), where she conducted mixed-methods research in rural Honduras as a Doctoral Researcher. She earned her Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University (2007) as a Federal Foreign Language Area Studies Scholar in Swahili, and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at Michigan State University (2003) as a Fulbright-Hays Scholar. Her academic foundation demonstrates a sustained commitment to international development and cross-cultural understanding, with specialized training in health program evaluation, project management, and mediation.
RESEARCH FOCUS
Dr. Viola’s research centers on global health interventions in low-resource settings, with emphasis on community-based approaches and sustainable development. Her doctoral work examined health challenges in rural Honduras using participatory methodologies that engaged community members as active stakeholders in research design and implementation. Her research interests span health equity, program evaluation, monitoring and learning systems, and the integration of evidence-based practices into development programming. She applies rigorous mixed-methods approaches combining qualitative and quantitative data to inform practical interventions addressing complex social determinants of health.
EXPERIENCE
Dr. Viola’s professional experience includes strategic planning, program management, grantmaking, and research across governmental, non-governmental, and academic sectors. At USAID Kosovo (2022–2025), she designed value-added programs aligned with regional strategic goals, led co-creation processes, and chaired the Interagency Greening Initiative Committee. She co-founded WomenStrong International, managing a $5 million annual budget and establishing international grantmaking procedures. At Columbia University’s Earth Institute, she managed multi-country projects across six African nations. Earlier roles include Peace Corps Community Health and Economic Development Advisor in Lesotho, where she led orphan registration initiatives and literacy projects, along with multiple positions supporting fundraising, research, and community development across Africa and the United States.
RESEARCH TIMELINE & RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
From 2015 to 2021, Dr. Viola conducted extensive doctoral research at Queen Margaret University, focusing on rural health interventions in Honduras. She designed a comprehensive mixed-methods study, developed tools such as focus group guides and surveys, and facilitated ten knowledge-exchange meetings with policymakers and community stakeholders. She served as a Peer Reviewer for SPARK Journal (2019–2020). Her research contributed actionable findings that informed health programming in resource-limited settings.
RESEARCH IMPACT
Dr. Viola’s research impact is demonstrated through the translation of academic findings into real-world development programming. Her doctoral work influenced community-level health interventions in Honduras. She has applied research methodologies to USAID programming, MEL frameworks for international nonprofits, and evaluation tools for humanitarian partners. Her analytical approach has shaped health, education, governance, and economic development programs across Africa, Central America, and Eastern Europe.
INNOVATION & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Dr. Viola has developed innovative systems and frameworks across her career, including Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) models, international grantmaking procedures, and process evaluation frameworks. She created protocols for international gift and grant approvals at Columbia University and advanced USAID Kosovo’s environmental sustainability practices as chair of the Interagency Greening Initiative Committee. She has further contributed to Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) methodologies through portfolio reviews and after-action reviews.
RESEARCH PROJECTS & FUNDING
At OSCE, Dr. Viola manages project cycles across three departments, overseeing Extra-Budgetary project proposals with detailed financial and results-based planning. At USAID Kosovo, she drafted multi-million-dollar Program Descriptions, RFAs, RFPs, IGCEs, and Activity Approval documents. She managed a $5M annual budget at WomenStrong International and oversaw grant administration at Columbia University for health, sanitation, education, and gender programs across six African nations. Her fundraising experience includes achieving 194% of annual goals at Habitat for Humanity Lesotho and 97% of targets at United Way Indiana.
CONFERENCE CONTRIBUTIONS
Throughout her career, Dr. Viola has engaged in extensive knowledge-sharing with stakeholders. During her doctoral research, she conducted ten knowledge-exchange meetings with political leaders and community members in Honduras. At USAID, she facilitated coordination with ministries and development partners. She has organized donor visits, partner consultations, and volunteer events across multiple countries and contributed to learning networks such as the Poverty Ranking Working Group.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Dr. Viola’s academic achievements include the Federal Foreign Language Area Studies Scholarship (Swahili) and the Fulbright-Hays Scholarship. She has completed advanced training including COR Level 2 Certification (2024), Project Management Essentials (Columbia University, 2014), and courses in mediation, child protection, humanitarian response, and health program evaluation. She has served as a journal peer reviewer, maintaining active engagement with academic scholarship.
SOCIETAL / INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTION
Dr. Viola contributes significantly to international development, nonprofit governance, and community welfare. She has served on the Governing Board of the International Learning Group School and held leadership roles at WomenStrong International. Her work includes advancing child protection efforts in Lesotho, founding youth education initiatives, and providing capacity-building support in budgeting, financial management, and MEL to partners across Africa, Central America, and Europe.
GLOBAL RECOGNITION
Dr. Viola is recognized for her impact across five continents. Her experience spans the U.S., Kosovo, Scotland, Honduras, Lesotho, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, and Senegal. She has held key roles such as Senior Project Officer (OSCE), Strategic Planning Specialist (USAID), and Senior Grants & Operations Manager (WomenStrong International). Her cross-cultural communication skills and Swahili language expertise enhance her ability to navigate complex international contexts.
PUBLICATIONS
Doctoral Dissertation:
Academic Service:
Technical Reports & Program Documents:
Includes Program Descriptions, RFAs, RFPs, AAPs, SOWs, SOOs, donor reports, case studies, and evaluation reports authored throughout her career.
TOP NOTED PUBLICATION
Dr. Viola’s leading scholarly contribution is her 2021 doctoral dissertation, a multi-year mixed-methods study examining health interventions in rural Honduras. This research produced evidence-based findings disseminated through community and policy dialogues, forming the foundation of her expertise in global health and community-based research.